


And Sam Makes Three

by AgentGrey



Series: Intricate Lives [2]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: A bit of smut eventually, Angst, Bisexual Kara Danvers, Canon-Typical Violence, Cat Grant Comes Back, Cat Grant Knows Kara Danvers Is Supergirl, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, Family Drama, Fluff, Found Family, Friends to Lovers, Kara Danvers is a gay mess, Lena Luthor & Maggie Sawyer Friendship, Lena Luthor & Winn Schott Jr. Friendship, Lena Luthor still needs a hug, Minor Character Death, Minor Lucy Lane/Vasquez, Multi, Mutual Pining, Nonbinary Character, Original Character(s), Polyamory, Post-Season 2, Protective Kara Danvers, Protective Sam Arias, Sam and Lena are Best Friends, Sanvers Wedding, SuperCorp, SuperReignCorp
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-18 02:03:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 60
Words: 290,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13671987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentGrey/pseuds/AgentGrey
Summary: Sequel to The Intricate Lives of Powerful Women.  Set more or less during Season 3, but using almost none of the canon from Season 3.  This is a story of Lena and Kara's relationship and how it eventually expands as they both grow closer to Sam.It you ever wanna chat about my stories, or anything really, my Twitter handle is @baileygrey789





	1. Game Night

** Chapter 1 **

Game night.  Really, this was a thing that adults did?  This whole ‘having more than one single friend’ thing was going to take some getting used to.  The thought was terrifying in how much it actually kind of thrilled her.  When she made the decision to move to National City from Metropolis, she knew things would be different.  Hell, that was the point.  But game night with Kara’s close-knit group of friends was not something she could have expected. 

Still, fun was fun, and fun was something that she had been sorely lacking the last few months.  It was almost shocking how well L-Corp had been doing since the Daxamite invasion.  While she refused to give herself credit in private, Lena’s role in developing the device that forced the Daxamites to retreat had earned her a tremendous amount of personal and professional goodwill.  The increased workload had made moving into the new place that much more difficult to coordinate.  This was the first time in at least two months that she had been able to really, truly just take a night off.  Nerves or no, she was damn well going to enjoy it.

Taking a deep breath and grabbing the bottle of wine she had picked up to bring to the party, she glanced around at the new townhouse they had recently moved into.  It was finally starting to feel like a home, now that all the furniture was in just the right place, and they had unpacked the various photos of the two of them, scattering them about the living area.  There was still some work to be done, but she was proud of herself for having had the bravery to take this leap.  To pursue a broader idea of family.

They got into the SUV together to head out, and all her nerves just sort of faded.  Coming here had been a difficult decision, but for the first time, she felt absolutely sure that this was where she was supposed to be.  This was home.  She grinned, but kept her eyes on the road.  Tonight was going to be fun.  Different, but fun.

As she pulled up to a stop, she turned to her passenger.  “You’re sure you don’t want to come?”

“Ugh, Mom, come on, I have no interest in hanging out with you and Lena and all your old people friends.  Besides, we both know you’ll have more fun without your kid tagging along.  Now if you’re done worrying, Jane is waiting for me.  I’ll see you tomorrow after school.”

Sam sighed, exasperated both at her daughter’s description of people in their late 20s and early 30s as ‘old’ as well as her already well-developed snarkiness.  _Like mother like daughter, I suppose._

“Okay babe, well, you call me if you need anything, and please tell Jane’s parents again how thankful I am that they invited you for this sleepover.  **_Be good._**   I love you!”

“Yeah yeah, I love you too, now go have fun and stuff,” Ruby muttered as she climbed out with her backpack in tow. 

Sam rolled her eyes but didn’t take the bait.  She watched Ruby walk up to the door and enter the house, before driving away.  _Now, what was Kara’s address again?_

~~~~

 “So, what’s the deal with L-Corp and hot lady bosses?”  Alex looked up from her pizza and scowled at Maggie, who just winked and grinned in response.  Kara thought it was adorable how Maggie’s dimples let her get away with just about anything when it came to Alex.  And Kara wasn’t about to disagree with Maggie that Lena and Sam were both certified hotties.

“I think what my frustratingly pretty girlfriend meant to ask was, ‘What’s Sam like?’” Alex clarified, though Maggie’s eye roll made it very clear that was not, in fact, what she meant to say.  “You said she’s Lena’s oldest friend, right?”

Kara beamed at her sister.  She loved talking about her newest friend.  “Mmhmm.  They came up together at LuthorCorp.  Apparently being the only junior—and then senior—executives who aren’t old men is the only way for two annoying workaholics to find a kindred spirit and make a friend.  Well—other than being forced into social interactions by your friendly neighborhood superhero.”  Kara was proud to have gotten a laugh from Maggie at the last comment.

“But she doesn’t know that her newest BFF Kara is a superhero, right?!”  Kara’s forehead crinkled at the overprotectiveness in Alex’s voice. 

“Gah, Alex, you worry too much.  Lena and I might tell her eventually—Lena’s sure that Sam is trustworthy—but no, she doesn’t know I’m Supergirl.  And I’ve already told James, Winn, and Lucy that she’s not in the secret identity club yet, so that topic is off-limits tonight.  Okay, mom?” 

Alex shrugged as if she couldn’t care less that Kara was annoyed— _so frustrating_ —then looked down to pet Gertrude.  How Alex and Maggie came to possess the sweetest little grey and white Italian Greyhound was a story in and of itself.  Maggie had found out about a German Shepard who was failing out of K-9 school because she was just a little too agreeable.  Unfortunately, that was the same day that a terrified stray Italian Greyhound attached herself to Alex on her way out of lunch at Noonan’s.  They had both called each other with the excited news that they had each found Gertrude, the dog that they had wanted to get together, but never had time to go looking for.  Maggie had initially rejected the idea of having a tiny dog out of hand.  Apparently, it would hurt their cred as intimidating bad asses or something, plus the cop had really wanted the cop dog.  But poor little Gert was terrified of everything and everyone other than Alex, at least at first, and Maggie didn’t have the heart to force Alex to take her to a shelter.   So, Gertrude Sanvers officially joined the family.  It had only taken her a few days to stop yelping every time Auntie Kara flew in the window to check on her during the day.

Alex looked up from the pup and asked, “She has a teenage daughter, right?  Is she older?  Married?” 

“Pssh, no, not at all actually.  I mean she’s, ummm, 31 I think?  You should ask Lena about Sam’s backstory—she loves to gush about how incredible and resilient Sam is.  She had Ruby at like 17 or something, and put herself through night school to get a business degree before joining up at Luthor Corp and working her way through the ranks.  Oh!  And I have no idea if she’s seeing anyone, but she’s definitely not married.”

Maggie jumped in, “Ooooo hot new girl in town, we should set her up with Lucy!  Or … James?  If he’s more her speed?”  The detective’s eyebrows raised in question, and Kara just shook her head.  Maggie was incorrigible.

“She’s only been in town for like a month, and she’s got her job and her daughter—I’m not sure she’s looking to date just yet.”  Kara paused, stifling a tiny giggle in her throat.  “Besides, I doubt she has any problem in that arena when she wants to play.”

“Now I’m even more intrigued.  Also, way to dodge the question, Kara.”  Maggie winked, but left it at that.  Kara was pretty sure Sam was bi or pan or something, but that wasn’t important.  Maggie could be such a nosy gossip sometimes, but in the best way.

Just as Kara was junking the now empty pizza boxes, and tossing the dishes in the dishwasher, there was a knock at the door.  Lena was coming straight from L-Corp, so Maggie and Alex had come over early to have dinner with Kara before game night.  They had stopped at her favourite pizza place on the way over from their apartment.  Kara casually glanced over at, and through, the door, seeing James and Winn waiting outside.  Maggie let them in.

“My fave dudes!”  Maggie hugged them both as they walked in, each with a six-pack of beers.  Alex ran over and yanked one of the local craft beers Winn brought, wrinkling her nose at the Corona in James’ possession.  Kara rushed over to console Gert, who was cowering behind the couch at the presence of new people.  Alex had insisted that it would be good for Gertrude to start getting used to bigger crowds of people, but Kara was so worried about the terrified baby girl.  She needed her momma to stay by her side. 

“Sure Alex, please have a beer.”  Winn snarked at his coworker, and Alex immediately raised an eye threateningly.  “I mean ‘ ** _sure_** Alex, **_please_** have a beer!’  My beer is your beer, and please don’t hurt me.”

Kara grinned, then caught herself.  She gave Alex a stern look that was ignored.  Alex’s bullying of Winn was really cute most of the time, but Kara worried that Alex took it slightly too far now and then.  Before she could start scolding her sister, Maggie jumped to her rescue.

“So Kara, how are things going at work now that the infamous Cat Grant is back?”

Kara immediately winced and looked cautiously at James, who was settling down on the chair across from the couch.  Fortunately, he appeared to have gotten over his immediate distaste for their boss’s name.  _Good, it’s been three months.  I don’t know how much longer I could’ve taken his pouting._

Cat Grant had returned to National City during the Daxamite invasion and had immediately picked up where she left off a year ago.  Kara hadn’t meant to eavesdrop on Cat’s … difficult … conversation with James, but it wasn’t her fault Ms. Grant talked so loudly or always left her doors open.  She had made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that James was going to return to his post as Art Director for CatCo Magazine, and that he was going to stop his late night escapades as the armoured vigilante Guardian. 

_How had Ms. Grant phrased it?  Oh yeah…”_

\---------

“Mr. Olsen, I have failed you.  And for that I am sorry.”

There was no response from James, who was apparently shocked by this new, more self-aware version of Cat Grant, fresh from her walkabout in the Himalayas.

“I should have never made you interim CEO.  That simply isn’t you.  I’m not entirely sure what I was thinking, to be honest, but I suppose I **_was_** in something of an unusual fog at the time.  Oh well.  Look, mistakes were made, and I’m here to fix them.”

It sounded as though James was about to say something, but Ms. Grant cut him off.  “Yes.  I am returning as CEO of CatCo, and things are going to change.  I would say that you did your best, but you were simply not cut out for this sort of position.  Except that I’m quite sure you did **_not_** do you best.  Being CEO of any company is a full-time job, Mr. Olsen, and especially **_my_** company.  What on Earth made you think you could run CatCo during the day and fight crime at night?”

“Respectfully, Ms. Grant, what I do with my time after hours really isn’t your—”

“Oh but it **_is_** my business, Mr. Olsen.  Quite literally.  You see, being CEO of CatCo requires focus, creativity, and dedication.  Things that a person cannot cultivate if they’re sleeping four hours a night and rushing off to beat up criminals with a metal shield.  I gave you the keys to a Ferrari, Mr. Olsen, and you filled it with regular gasoline and left it idling in the driveway.”

Kara could feel the temperature drop in the room, and she hoped for James’ sake that he did not try to argue with Ms. Grant.  She said a silent prayer of thanks to Rao when he kept his mouth shut, and Ms. Grant’s tone warmed slightly.

“But this conversation is not about past failures.  It was my mistake to put you into a position where you were not well-equipped to succeed, and so I should not be surprised that you found the position so stifling and unworthy of your—” she paused for emphasis, “—full attention.  This conversation is about course corrections, and the success of our future partnership.”

Kara knew Ms. Grant well enough to know from the tone of her voice, she genuinely wanted to help James.  She also couldn’t help the grin that had broken across her face as she realized that she and Ms. Grant were on the same page about the foolishness of this Guardian business.

“James, I hired you away from the Daily Planet for a reason.  You have a one-of-a-kind eye for the beauty and wonder of the world.  You’re an incredible photographer, but you’re more than that.  I didn’t hire ‘Jimmy Olsen, photojournalist’ to do the same things you did back in Metropolis.  You’re capable of more.  I miscalculated when I thought that more was running the entirety of CatCo, and for that I sincerely apologize.”

There was a brief moment of silence, then James finally spoke up.  “Ms. Grant, I appreciate that.  And … you’re right.  I’m not a CEO—I never was.  I was just too proud to say no when you offered it to me.  But I always knew that wasn’t what I wanted to do.  It’s just …  I **_need_** to stand for something more than just taking pictures or framing fashion shoots.  I’m honestly not sure where I fit into the media world anymore.  Guardian … it’s the only thing that makes sense to me.”

Kara was taken aback by James’ honesty, his vulnerability.  Their friendship had been fairly shallow since their blowup after Lena was arrested, and he had never really let her back in after that.  Not that she had tried very hard to mend fences.  And yet, her heart warmed a little as she heard how lost he sounded.  She had always been so adamant that Guardian was a foolish, dangerous idea, but she had never really stopped to ask James why he had gone down the path in the first place.  _Leave it to Ms. Grant to see through all the nonsense and get to the heart of someone’s motivations._

“Yes, it is **_very_** clear that you’re quite confused when it comes to sense of late.  Here’s the thing.  You need to get back to your roots.  You’re lost.  So here’s what we’re going to do.  I’m going to ask you to trust me when I tell you that things are changing here.  This won’t be the same old CatCo.  I want you back as my art director, but I promise you it won’t be the same old job.  If you find that you don’t believe in the work you’re doing here, that you don’t find the elusive purpose you’re searching for, you can leave.  No hard feelings.  **_But_**.  If you’re going to work here, I need you focused on your work here.  No more Guardian.  Leave the crime fighting to Supergirl and the cops.  That is not where you will do the world the most good.  But I promise—you stick with me, and we’ll change the world.”

“I’ll give you a day to think about it.”

\---------

James had accepted the offer, and while Kara had no idea how Cat was going to enforce her ‘no Guardian’ policy, she hadn’t seen Guardian on the streets once the last couple of months.  He had been noticeably moodier since then, but he hadn’t quit as art director yet either.  Kara could only assume Ms. Grant was holding up her side of the bargain so far.  And as far as Kara’s work at CatCo was going lately …

“Things have been incredible since Ms. Grant came back.  I didn’t quite realize how much I missed her mentoring, and she’s been a force lately.  CatCo’s got a whole new direction and purpose, and she’s the force behind it all.  Even Snapper is less grumpy lately, though that could have something to do with overseeing an actual newspaper again finally.”  Kara grinned at Maggie, who appreciated the enthusiasm by responding with a bright smile of her own.

CatCo hadn’t completely fallen apart under James’ leadership, but it had certainly taken on his lack of direction.  Ms. Grant had come back with a robust plan to change that.  She had started by purchasing the National City Tribune and bringing it under the CatCo umbrella.  Cat envisioned the former tabloid evolving into not only a reputable source for journalism, but the paper of record for National City.  And Snapper Carr was all in on this vision.  He had never really believed that CatCo Magazine could straddle the line between real journalism and pop culture fluff, and the decreased readership over the last year tended to support his belief.  Now, Kara was working for a **_real_** newspaper, just like Lois and Clark, and hadn’t even had to leave the building which had grown to feel like home.

Alex spoke, looking up from her phone.  “Lucy should be here soon, and apparently she’s bringing Vasquez too.”  She and Kara exchanged a knowing look.  Vasquez had been crushing on Lucy ever since she returned to the DEO’s National City headquarters after the Daxamite invasion.

“Well good, then!  Lena and Sam are both are their way, too.  Let’s get this partay started!”

~~~~

Lena was genuinely excited for game night.  She’d gotten a few under her belt now, and she was good friends with Maggie and Winn completely outside of their shared connection to Kara.  She had never let her guard down around this many people before, and while no one knew her like Kara, she had finally loosened up enough to just be her genuine self with the Superfriends.  Besides, she knew that it was important for her to be around people—things were so much harder when she was left alone with her thoughts.  Unfortunately, she was so lost in this particular thought that she nearly ran into the two women standing outside Kara’s apartment.

The shorter of the women greeted her warmly.  “Hey!  Lena, right?  I’m Lucy, and this is Vasquez.  We both work at the DEO with Alex and Kara.”  _Ah, the new/old Co-Director of the DEO and … a friend?_ Just before Lena could exchange pleasantries, Kara opened the door.  Lena loved this dork so much.  She smiled as if the three people at the door were the most wonderful people on Earth… actually, Kara might genuinely believe that.  Some of the most wonderful anyway.

“Oh good you already met!  Come in, come in!  Everyone else is already here.”  Lena’s brow wrinkled just slightly.  She had meant to arrive before Sam, to help introduce her to the group.  But hey, at least she had Kara.  It was probably fine.

Lucy responded enthusiastically, “Oh yeah, I was just introducing myself and Vasquez to your girlfriend here.”  Lena loved that Kara’s face still lit up anytime anyone referred to them as girlfriends.  The foursome walked into the apartment.

“Vasquez!  I’m so glad you came!”  Lena could tell from Kara’s impressively subtle tone that maybe there was some sort of **_thing_** going on between Lucy and Vasquez.

Lucy blushed slightly, before responding, “Yeah, sorry, ey were hanging out in my office this afternoon, and I just figured the more the merrier, right?”  **_Ey?_** _That’s a new one. … Ohhh, Vasquez is nonbinary, maybe?  Yikes, I shouldn’t have assumed._

She had apparently been enjoying the back and forth, but Vaquez then finally spoke up for eirself.  “I promise I’ll try not to win all the games, Kara.”  To Lena’s eyes, Vasquez seemed to enjoy a flustered Lucy.  Considering her earliest interactions with Kara, Lena already felt a bit of kinship with the agent.

Then she caught site of Sam and hurried over to her friend.  They hugged tightly, and Lena whispered, “I am so sorry.  I meant to get here before you.  I hope things haven’t been too awkward jumping in with a bunch of people you don’t know yet.”

Sam turned to her with an ‘oh, please’ look on her face.  “Pssh, you know that your girl wouldn’t let that happen.  Besides I’ve been here for like five minutes.”

“Oh fine, be snide.  I’m just gonna go tell Winn how much you love Star Wars, and then good luck with the rest of your evening.”  Sam’s greatest flaw was her complete lack of interest in the Star Wars universe. 

 _"_ No no no that’s okay.  Please Lena, do not force that on me.”  Lena snickered, but of course Sam had no idea that she had just made a truly excellent pun.

“I’ll spare you this time, darling, but be careful not to cross me if we’re on opposite teams tonight.”  Sam rolled her eyes as she followed Lena to where Alex and Maggie were setting up Cards Against Humanity.  “So, you met Sanvers and their adorable pup already?”

The confused look on Sam’s face piqued Maggie’s interest.  “It’s the dumb couple nickname Li’l Luthor came up with for me and Alex.  Or was that Kara’s idea?  Either way, they won’t drop it, even though Alex and I have both threatened violence against them.  Although—” her eyes narrowed and darted sideways at Alex, “—I suspect that this adorable sap actually likes the name, because her threats haven’t been as menacing as usual.” 

Alex didn’t respond, which was as good as an admission.  Remembering the actual question, Maggie answered for Sam.  “And yes, we met your stunningly attractive friend.”  She winked at Sam, and this time Alex did actually respond, with a swift smack to the back of Maggie’s head.

“Yeah, we met, and yes, I find Maggie’s shameless flirting in front of her girlfriend absolutely delightful.  Sorry, Alex.” 

“No apologies necessary.  I knew what I was getting into when I asked this dummy to move in with me.”  Lena could see through Alex’s fake grimace.  She loved Maggie and wouldn’t change a thing about her.

“Oh cool, so I’m not the only one who moved recently?  Congrats, you two!  How’s it going so far?”  Sam loved stories of happy gay domesticity, so Lena knew that she would hit it off with Alex and Maggie.  And speaking of happy gays, Lena felt an inhumanly strong arm wrap around her affectionately.  As Kara handed her a glass of her favourite chianti, Alex answered Sam’s question.

“It’s wonderful.  We both loved the building I was already living in, so we found a bigger place there, with an actual bedroom and much bigger closets.  We had both only ever lived alone, as adults anyway, so yeah, I mean it was an adjustment at first.”

Maggie butted in, “Don’t undersell it, babe.  I literally tackled her and shouted in her face after the seventh time she insisted that I throw my dirty clothes in the laundry hamper rather than on the floor on my way to bed.  Not to mention our fight over which dog to get.” 

“Whatever, you love Gertrude more than I do.  And yes, okay, there have been growing pains.  But it’s so worth it.”  Sappy girlfriend Alex was the best Alex.  Kara smiled and nuzzled her head against Lena’s shoulder. 

“Aw babe, you’re such a dork.”  Maggie kissed Alex, theatrically trying to make it sloppier than necessary before Alex pushed her away playfully.

“Alright well if the happy couple is done making out, it’s game time,” said Winn.  He, James, Lucy, and Vasquez pulled up chairs, and they all settled in.  Cards Against Humanity had been Maggie’s idea.  She thought it would be the easiest way to get to know the newbies, since this was the first game night for Sam, Lucy, and Vasquez.  Kara had tried to argue, but Lena had backed up Maggie.  Kara didn’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable with the honestly only slightly racy game, but Maggie thought that was absolutely the best way to cut through the tension of meeting new people.  Lena, on the other hand, simply enjoyed the surprise on other people’s faces when they first realized that Kara Danvers was not the naïve puppy dog she seemed.

About an hour into the game, several things became very obvious.  First, Sam, Lucy, and Vasquez fit into the group perfectly.  Lucy and Sam, in particular, had hit it off immediately, as they apparently shared a very particular sort of grotesque humour that drove the rest of the room crazy.  Vasquez was a giggly drunk, and at no point had this been more on display then when ey had confided to Lena in secret that the idea of maybe possibly dating eir boss was terrifying.  Vasquez had then giggled so forcefully that she fell over, and Lena had to make up a half-assed excuse about why she was giggling this time. 

The strangest thing of the night was that Gertrude was oddly intrigued by Vasquez’ giggling fits.  The first time it had happened, the pup’s head shot up, ears piqued in curiosity.  The second time, she had started yapping happily along with Vasquez, and the third time, she got up out of Maggie’s lap and plopped down in Vasquez’.  The two were inseparable for the rest of the night, and Lucy kept shooting heart eyes at them.

Overall, the first expanded game night had been a massive success, and Lena was so happy that Sam had had a good time.  She was the last to leave, drinking water until she was perfectly sure she could make it home safely.  The three of them cuddled on Kara’s couch and gossiped about Lucy’s love life.  Apparently she and James were still hooking up on occasion, but it was obvious to everyone that she was also fostering a crush on Vasquez. 

“I just worry that the whole boss-employee thing might make it impossible,” Lena suggested.  “They seem to have a real spark, and a genuine relationship usually requires a certain lack of pressure to grow organically, yes?” 

Kara made a pretty persuasive argument that it wouldn’t have any real bearing on things.  “Actually, J’onn was more Vasquez’ boss than Lucy.  They’ve divided their duties as director really well, and both are thriving in their roles.  He handles the coordination and training of agents and missions, while Lucy handles administration, legal, and public relations—which is to say, making sure no one figured out the DEO exists.” 

“So Vasquez is just an agent, not like … a lawyer on the side?  Meaning she really only reports to J’onn?”  Sam was clearly rooting for her new friend Lucy to find love.

“Yup!  I mean, being out in the field was definitely in Lucy’s toolbox, especially since she and Alex have become better friends and started sparring together.  But fieldwork is still definitely not her expertise.  I can’t really picture a situation where Lucy and Vasquez’ feelings for each other would make work more difficult.”

“So what you’re saying is that we should play matchmaker?”  Lena recognized the mischievous glint in Sam’s eye, and knew better than to try to argue.  Instead, she deflected.

“Yes, well, we will have to discuss that on another occasion.  I need my beauty sleep, and so does my CFO.”  She looked at Sam pointedly.

“Oh oh fine, I can take a hint.  I’ll just see myself out so you two kids can get all naked together.”  Lena chuckled at the bright red colour of Kara’s face.  One would think she’d be used to Sam’s teasing by now, but no, Kara still got flustered every time.  Which was great for Lena—flustered Kara was so endearing, and her girlfriend had become immune to Lena’s own teasing now that they were shagging on the regular.  

Lena decided to just go with it, and wrapped her arms around Kara, melodramatically grabbing her ass as she kissed her deeply.  Lena mumbled a goodbye to Sam in between kisses with Kara, who she could tell was torn between ripping Lena’s clothes off and controlling herself to give Sam a proper goodbye.  In the end, her better angels won out, and she separated herself from Lena, blushing even more brightly.

“Lena!”  She turned and walked towards Sam, who was at the door now.  “Sam, thanks so much for coming.  If you’re in, I have no doubt that everyone else will welcome you as a regular member of the Su—game night crew.  Did you have fun?”

“Yes, dummy, I had fun.  Lucy’s really cool, and I can’t wait to convince Gert that I’m not going to try to crush her with my heels.  Definitely pencil me in for the next game night.  I’ll see you both later, okay?”  They all hugged, and Sam headed out.  Closing the door behind her, Kara narrowed her eyes at Lena.

“Now.  Where were we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is quite a lot more personal and original than the last one. I'm publishing this as I write it, and while I have some big ideas and overall structural concepts, this one will be a lot more fluid than the last. Still no defined publishing schedule, but also no guarantees I'll be able to get it out with the same speed as the last one.


	2. Inner Turmoil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena is going through some shit, and Sam and Alex are here to help.

** Chapter 2 **

Sam gave Jess a nod and a smile as she walked by her desk on the way into Lena’s office.  Most of Sam’s staff had already gone home, but Jess rarely left the office before Lena did.  Sam had a strong suspicion that Jess was secretly a bodyguard in addition to being an executive assistant, but Lena insisted that this wasn’t the case.  Still, if Sam was a betting woman …

Lena didn’t make any effort to acknowledge Sam’s presence as she walked into the office.  She was slouched back in her luxurious office chair, pushed back from her polished white desk and facing away towards the corner of her balcony, her tablet in one hand and stylus in the other, taking notes furiously.  Leaving her to it, Sam walked deliberately over to the far wall, where Lena kept her liquor in the matching white credenza.  There was no way Lena didn’t register the sound of Sam’s heels walking across the office, but she still didn’t move.

 _Great.  She’s in another mood._   In some ways, Lena was the happiest and most well-adjusted Sam had ever seen her.  In others, she was every bit as withdrawn, cold, and tightly wound as in her darkest days.  It would appear that Lena was well into one of the latter dispositions this evening.  It wasn’t just the work; even if Lena was deep into some enthralling business deal or new project, she would normally have greeted Sam with a warm smile and pleasantries.

 _Let’s just see what I can do about this._   She poured them each a glass of scotch and sauntered over to the desk.  Sidling between Lena’s chair and the desk, she used her heel to spin Lena around to face her.  She plucked the tablet from her hand and held out the glass of scotch.  Several muted expressions crossed Lena’s face—confusion, frustration, exasperation, and then resignation.  She took the glass, took a sip, and then looked up at Sam, tilting her head in a look of forced curiosity.

“What’s your deal, lady?”  Sam knew it would take some coaxing to get Lena to open up, but she always went bold with her conversation openers.

“Just trying to finish cleaning up the mess that was made of this proposal by one of the med tech teams, so that I can get to my real priority for the night.”  _Oh._  

“Sweetie, it’s been three months.  You haven’t found anything.  Why are you still letting Lillian haunt you?” In the chaos of the Daxamite invasion, Lillian’s cyborg henchman had broken her out of DEO custody, and they hadn’t been heard from since.  Lena had thrown a copious amount of her personal time into investigating and tracking her down.  She had roped in Winn and Alex at the DEO and Maggie at the NCPD, she had even reached out to some contacts with the FBI.  All of it had turned up exactly nothing.  But still she kept trying, and Sam couldn’t help but worry her about it.  It seemed like Kara shared her worries, but neither of them wanted to talk about Lena behind her back.

“Sam, she’s dangerous.  Not just to the world, to aliens everywhere.  But specifically, to me.  And the ones I love.”  Something about Lena’s voice told Sam there was more to it than that.

“Did Lillian threaten Kara in some way?  Why would she do that?” 

Lena hesitated just slightly, but enough that Sam knew it meant something.  “No, **_not exactly_.**   I just … she’s never been okay with my sexuality.  She’ll never accept me openly dating a woman, much less a woman she would consider so far below my station.”

There was more to it than that.  “Okay, well your mom’s been a lot of things, but willing to risk her freedom over a grudge against her daughter hasn’t been one of them.  She’s all about that alien genocide megalomania.  She’s a true believer.  Surely, she wouldn’t risk all of that just to go after Kara.”

Lena’s face showed full and genuine emotion for the first time since Sam had entered the office.  Full fledged terror wrote itself over all her features, then she immediately took control back from the fear, her face back to its usual casual mask.  “No, you’re right.  That’s not all.  Though I wouldn’t put it past her.”  She paused, sighing as she finally seemed to decide to let Sam in a little.  “She knows that I work with Supergirl sometimes.  After the thing with the Daxamites, I think she has finally given up on the idea that I might come around to the family hobby of alien-hating.  I am pretty sure that I am no longer safe from her machinations, and I have no doubt she’ll eventually try to use me to get at Supergirl and the DEO.  It wouldn’t surprise me at all if she figured out that Kara’s sister works there.  There’s too much at risk for her to remain at large.”

“Okay.  I get that.  And I don’t blame you for being afraid for your safety or Alex’s or even Supergirl’s.  Lillian is capable of anything.  But you’re a CEO and a scientist.  An engineer, on occasion.”  She shot Lena a small grin, trying to lighten the mood.  Ineffectively.  “You’re not a private investigator.  Or a bounty hunter.  Or a human bloodhound.  Let the DEO and the FBI do their jobs.  I know you—you feel obligated to be the one to catch her.  Why?  Why take on this burden?”

“She’s my mother!  That makes her my responsibility.  I’m done letting her hurt people.  I’m **_done_** cowering in fear of her.  **_Done_** playing the prey.  I’m the hunter now.  I’m the Luthor in charge.  I won’t **_ever_** let myself be manipulated or threatened by **_her_** again.”  There was a cold but quiet fury in Lena’s voice.  Sam wondered if Lillian wasn’t the only ‘her’ that was haunting Lena.

Lena sighed again, coming down from the brief emotional high.  “Besides.  No one knows her like I do.  The DEO and the FBI will try their hardest, but I don’t have any faith that they’ll find her.  I’m not even sure I will, but I know her better than anyone.  If she’s going to be caught, it’ll be by me.”

Sam took another sip of the scotch, slowly.  She surveyed Lena’s face, and to her credit, Lena didn’t flinch away from her gaze.  Sam leaned in and placed a hand on Lena’s knee.  “You know that I’m just worried about you, right?”

Lena nodded, then chewed on her lip a little.  She was trying not to get emotional.  Sam continued, “Lee.  You’ve built an incredible life for yourself.  You’re doing good for the world.  Your company has never been more successful, and you’ve never been more beloved by your community.  You have freed yourself of that awful family, and you’re madly in love with the brightest beam of sunshine on the planet.”

That produced a real smile, and Sam knew she was on the right path.  “I know you think that the best way to protect it all is to track down your mom.  Bring her to justice.  But … I don’t know, has it occurred to you that maybe your obsession with bringing her down might be the real threat to your happiness?”

“Sam. I … Look, I know that I can get wrapped up in this, and that I tend to get more emotionally withdrawn as a result.  Kara’s complained about it too, trust me.  But … I have to do this.  I’m really sorry if you don’t like that, but I’m not giving up.”

She knew when to give up an argument with Lena.  There was more here, maybe having to do with Rhea and the Daxamites, and regardless, this obsession was not healthy.  But Sam let it go, for now.  “Okay.  Just—” she entwined her fingers with Lena’s, “—know that we’re here to ground you.  Don’t shut us out.  Please.”

Lena nodded, then withdrew her hand.  “Now, I actually really do have to clean up this mess before I can head home.  Thanks for checking on me, and tell Ruby her Aunt Lena says, ‘hey girl hey.’”  There was just a hint of playfulness in Lena’s voice, and Sam felt reassured, if only a little.

“I will.  You know she’s still bugging me to have **_Lena_** —she refuses to call you aunt anymore, it’s too childish—introduce her to Supergirl.  The girl is tenacious.”

“Just like her mother.  But I’ve made no promises!  I’ll see what I can do.”

Sam opened the door to leave, then turned back to her friend.  “Hey Lee, you know I love you, right?”

The tiniest hint of surprise and hurt formed on Lena’s face at the genuine concern in Sam’s voice.  She pursed her lips and then answered, “I know.  Of course I know.  And I love you, too, okay?  I’m so happy that you and I are finally back in the same city.  Truly.”

Sam smiled, trying to keep any sadness out of it, then turned and left.

~~~~

Lena did what she could with the proposal and sent it back to the project leader for revisions.  She’d been distracted ever since Sam left.  Her friend had the most annoying talent for getting in her head.  She wasn’t trying to push Sam—or Kara—away.  But neither of them could understand this.  Hell, Lena didn’t fully understand it.  She just knew that she had to find Lillian.  It was the only way she would ever be free of her past.  And it was the best way she could atone for the hand she had in the devastation caused by the Daxamites.

Kara and Sam had their traumas, especially Kara.  But neither of them had demons like Lena.  She wasn’t about to force hers upon them.  Still, they were right, to an extent.  Lena **_had_** to find Lillian, but she didn’t want the difficulty of the task or her focus on its importance to hurt the relationships she had managed to build.  She had worked too hard to build this new family of hers to lose it in her fervor to bury the old one for good.

Fortunately, she knew just who to talk to about this, picking up her phone and dialing.  “Hey Alex, you have an hour or so free to grab a drink tonight, just us?”

“Uhh, hold on just one sec, Lena.”  The phone was briefly muted while Alex presumably conferred with Maggie.  “Yeah, I can swing that.  Where should we meet?”

 “Does my place work for you?  I’m not really in the mood for a crowd, you know?”

 “Yeah sure thing.  Text me the address, and I’ll be there in, like, thirty minutes?”

 “Sounds great, Alex.  I really appreciate it.”

Lena packed up her tablet and slipped her heels back on, then walked out the door.  Jess looked up as the door opened, and Lena smiled at her.  “Alright Jess, time to go home.  Give Tali a scratch behind the ears for me.”

“Yes ma’am.  Let me just put in the call for your car, and I’ll walk you out.”  Jess grabbed her things and met Lena at the elevator.  “You and Ms. Danvers have plans tonight?”

“No, actually, I’m grabbing a drink with her sister tonight.”

“The agent with the stick up her butt?”

“Yes, Jess, and for your own safety, don’t ever let her hear you say that.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”  Lena could never quite tell when Jess was being serious or playful, and she really enjoyed that about her assistant.  Kept her on her toes.  The elevator opened on the lobby.  She said goodnight to Jess, who was going down to the parking garage where her car was parked. 

She got into the back of the car and instructed the driver to take her home.  On the way she texted Kara to let her know that she was hanging out with Alex tonight, and asked her for a bit of privacy.  Lena knew her girlfriend would be a little suspicious, but that was better than Supergirl flying in unexpectedly, as she often did.  This wasn’t a conversation she wanted Kara to overhear.  She would worry too much, or maybe get the wrong idea.  Her phone dinged as Kara responded quickly.

[7:02 p.m.]    **Okay.  Is everything okay?  Can I sleep over tonight, after you're done having mysterious hangouts with my sister?**

She typed out a quick response.

[7:03 p.m.]   **I’d like that.  I’ll let you know when Alex heads out.  Bring me a treat?**

Kara responded with smiley face, thumbs up, and purple heart emojis.  Lena grinned.  _My girl and her emojis._   She thanked the driver and let herself out of the car once they pulled up to her apartment building.  Once in her apartment, she brought up an app on her phone, selected one of several jazz playlists she had, and the ambient music began playing quietly through the speakers strategically built into each room of her penthouse for an immersive experience.  She’d turn it off or change it when Alex arrived, but for now it fit her contemplative mood.

She quickly walked into her room, then her closet.  She threw off her heels and undressed, then pulled her hair up into a messy bun before slipping into a pair of purple leggings and the grey National City University sweatshirt she had stolen from Kara back when they first started dating.  Checking her phone for the time, she padded barefoot into her kitchen and warmed up some leftover pasta.  She had to eat quickly before Alex got there.

And so of course, she had just barely scarfed down her dinner when there was a knock at her door.  Alex was one of a very small group of people who could access this floor without the concierge having to call up for her permission first.  Still, she checked through the peephole just to be sure, then welcomed Alex inside with a brief hug.  She had only been to Lena’s apartment a couple of times previously, and never on her own.  Still, Lena was sure the agent had surveyed and memorized the layout of the place on her first visit, and Alex didn’t hesitate before turning to the right and walking through the dining area to go settle in on Lena’s couch.

“Old fashioneds?” Lena offered.  Alex shot up from the couch and walked back over to wear Lena was still standing by the liquor cabinet.

“Actually, how about you just point me to the bourbon and ingredients, and I’ll take care of that.  Trust me.”  Lena shrugged and gestured to the liquor cabinet.  Who was she to argue with Alex’s confidence in her cocktail-mixing skills?  She grabbed some sugar cubes and an orange from her kitchen, and Alex shouted out, “Oh, and do have any club soda?  Trust me on this, just a splash really rounds out the flavour.”  Lena grabbed the club soda as well, and brought everything over to the bar.  Alex had found a whiskey she liked, along with a couple of glasses, and quickly got to work.  Lena was impressed with the speed and precision of Alex’s hands; she didn’t even stop to measure anything.  The woman was clearly well-practiced.

They took their drinks and settled in on the couch.  “Thanks for agreeing to see me last minute.”

“Sure, Maggie was looking for an excuse to take Gertrude for a run tonight anyway, and I was not in the mood.  So, what’s up?”

“You mean, why did I call you out of the blue and ask you to grab drinks with me despite the fact that we’ve never hung out just the two of us?”  Lena raised an eyebrow playfully, then took a sip of her delicious drink.

Alex shrugged, smiling just slightly.  “Yeah, it was a little unexpected, I suppose.  But you wouldn’t have asked to hang just us for the first time for no reason.  I figured it was important, and you know, I’m here for you or whatever.”  Alex had loosened up so much since she apparently decided that Lena was, in fact, good enough for her sister.  Even still, the agent couldn’t seem to just let herself throw out that message of support without making a face.  It was cute.

“I truly appreciate that, Alex.  The thing, I’ve got this problem I’ve been struggling about, and I’m not sure Kara or Sam would really understand.  But you might, and even if you don’t, I suspect that you might have some good advice.”

Alex took a sip, then gestured for Lena to go on.  “Shoot.”

“So, you’re aware that I’m conducting my own investigation to track down my mother, right?”  Alex’s body language indicated surprise.  Her grip on her glass tightened slightly, and she leaned in a bit as she her blinking increased.

“I mean, I knew you **_were_** looking for her.  Given the lack of any leads between your search and those being conducted by the DEO and the FBI, I figured you had dropped that a while back.  You’re still searching?”  Whether intentional or not, Lena could detect the incredulity in Alex’s voice.  _Great.  Everyone thinks I’m grasping at straws._

“Yeah.  It’s something that I … fuck, I just can’t let it go.  I have to find her.  I have to be free of her.  Let me ask you this, and Alex, please forgive me if I’m out of line or if it hurts to discuss this.  Aren’t you still looking for Jeremiah?” 

Lena was sure that Alex was trying not to let her emotions show, and the agent was the only one of their friends who was anywhere near as good at it as Lena.  So she knew the weight of her question by the visible storm cloud over Alex’s countenance.  She didn’t answer immediately, taking a long sip of her drink.  When she did respond, her voice was noticeably tighter.

“Yeah.  Of course, I am.  I’ll never give up on finding my dad.”  Lena moved closer, hoping she wasn’t crossing a line as she placed a hand on Alex’s knee.

“I know.  And I’m sorry.  I’m not at all trying to compare my mother to your father.  But you have some idea what I’m going through.  What I am trying to understand is how you keep it from taking over your life?  How do you just … continue to be normal?  How do you not feel the urge to spend every hour of the day looking for him?”  Lena knew that she was failing in her efforts to keep the desperation out of her voice.  She withdrew her hand and took another sip.

Alex responded more quickly this time.  “I can explain, but I doubt my strategy is going to work for you.”  Lena’s brow furrowed in confusion, but Alex didn’t make her wait for an explanation.  “Time.  My dad has been some version of missing and/or on the run for like fifteen years now.  And even disregarding that I believed he was dead for the first 12 or so years of that, I’ve had a couple of years now to process everything.”

Alex stood up.  “Refill?”

 _You’re damn right._ “Yes, please!”

Alex continued her explanation as she walked, so Lena followed.  “When I first found out my dad was alive, and that Cadmus was holding him, I literally left town for over a month to go chasing him.  It turned up nothing, Lena.  Then there was the whole Myriad thing, maybe you heard about it.”  Lena nodded—it was kind of a major story when an entire town falls under alien mind control.  “Anyway, I had to get back here quickly, and then my focus was on Kara.  She nearly killed herself ridding our planet of some of Krypton’s most dangerous criminals, and if I hadn’t been there to save her, she would have died.”

Lena felt like her heart stopped.  Kara had never told her that story.  She turned away, knowing she couldn’t hide the shock on her face.  _How could Kara have never told me she nearly died.  She told me about the red kryptonite incident—why not this?_ Lena felt a hand on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t realize Kara hadn’t told you. I, err, may have overstepped here, but hey since the cat is out of the bag…”  Lena turned back to face her.  “I’m sure she just didn’t want to frighten you, okay?  Please don’t be too hard on her.” 

Lena paced around the bar so that she was on the same side as Alex, and then slumped back against it, facing the windows.  National City was so beautiful at night, in large part because of the danger Kara was constantly putting herself.  Well … as much danger as a nearly invulnerable person can be in.  Alex followed her lead, turning slightly to lean back against the bar. 

“Anyway, that wasn’t even my point.”  Lena’s concern for Kara had briefly distracted her from the purpose of this conversation, but Alex brought her back to the inner conflict that was tormenting her.  “It took a traumatic experience for me to realize that I can’t just put my life on hold indefinitely until I found Dad.  Kara needed me.  The city needed me.  Ignoring everything and driving myself insane didn’t do anything to get my dad back.  And over time… it just made me less myself.  I lost sight of what matters most, and that’s not what Dad would’ve wanted for me anyway.”

Lena turned her head.  Alex was looking at her with concern.  Which was … unusual.  “Top me off and let’s head back to the couch.”  Fresh drinks in hand, they sat back down.  Alex slouched back, placing her booted feet up on the coffee table and looking at Lena to be sure that this was okay.  Lena rolled her eyes and nodded.

“She’s really under your skin, huh?”  Lena nodded, despite knowing that was only a half truth.  “If you’re looking for advice on how not to let it consume you, all I can tell you is that you have to really analyze what is most important in your life.  And even then, it’s crazy hard.  When Dad rescued Kara and Mon-El from that site your mom was keeping them, it all came rushing back.  I went from keeping tabs on various google alerts and sources on a weekly basis to spending at least an hour or two each night, again.  One new piece of information, and I was obsessive again.  It. Isn’t. Easy.”

Lena was honestly surprised by how reassured she felt.  So she wasn’t just a soulless Luthor monster who found it easy to ignore those she loved because of her obsession with … righting past wrongs.  Alex went through this too, albeit under slightly different circumstances.  Suddenly, she found herself feeling peculiarly vulnerable.

“Alex, I. I am so scared that I’m going to lose her.  Drive her away.  But I can’t drop this. …  I just can’t.”

“I’m assuming you mean Kara?  She’s the one you’re scared of losing?”

Lena could feel the blush on her face.  “Yes, of course.  I mean, I’m not looking to gush about my love for your sister, but … I’ve never felt this way about someone before.  She’s my priority.  But,”  Lena paused, collecting her thoughts.  “I know I haven’t been as attentive lately as I should be.  My focus has been on finding my mother.  Sam says I’m haunted, and I think that’s right.  I just … I feel like I can never have the life I want, never give Kara the life she deserves, as long as Lillian is out there.  Hanging over us like the sword of Damocles.”

Alex snorted at the reference.  “Yeah okay, wow.  Look, Lena, I can’t tell you what to do about Lillian.  I can tell you that if L-Corp, the DEO, and the FBI can’t find her in three months of searching… you’re not going to get anywhere on your own any time soon.  I’m not saying drop it; just, whether you put in an hour once a week or once a day, you’re likely to make the exact amount of headway.”

That made a certain amount of sense, but it didn’t solve the guilt and fear and unease that regularly coiled up in Lena’s gut and turned her to ice.  Sensing her hesitation, Alex jumped back in.  “Look, also I have to do the protective big sister thing.  If you love Kara, make her your priority.  She deserves your attention way more than Lillian does.  If you lose yourself to this obsession—whether it’s revenge or genuine protectiveness over Kara or something else entirely—you’re going to hurt her.  And I don’t think you want that any more than I do.   I’d hate for the next time I come over here be to kick your well-dressed ass.”

The threat brought a smile to Lena’s face.  “Yeah yeah yeah, if I ever give you a reason to kick my ass, I’m sure I will welcome the violence.  Hurting Kara is the absolute last thing I want to do.  I guess that’s why I’m talking to you.  I’m really scared of the path I’ve been on ever since the Daxamites.”

Alex considered for a second, then offered, “It sounds like there’s more going on here than just bringing your mother to justice.  Have you talked to Kara about this?  Or Sam?  It’s cool that you came to me with this, but they know you a lot better than I do.  Hell, the DEO has a therapist if that’s more your speed; you wouldn’t have to worry about jumping through hoops and changing stories to keep Kara’s secret.”

“Kara’s actually suggested that.  And we’ve talked about how I’m feeling.  She gets a lot of it.  More than anyone she’s knows about all my insecurities and trust issues, and I feel like those are still near the heart of all of this.  But it’s such a twisted knot that it’s easier to focus on the surface issue, Lillian.  Like if I just get her, the knot will unravel enough to address everything else.”

Alex didn’t respond but didn’t avert her gaze at all either.  That was somehow comforting, like there was no pressure for Lena to spill her guts any further, but Alex didn’t have anything to add on top of it.  “You’re right about priorities though.  Maybe talking to this DEO therapist might help with that.  Maybe.”  She wasn’t really sure about that, but she felt powerless to escape this black hole that was tugging at her.  She had to try something.

“Alex, thank you.  Truly.  You didn’t have to open up to me about this, hell you didn’t have to come over.  I just … had a sense you might have some idea what I was going through, even though I only feel like I understand maybe half of it.  And … from now on, we’re a team on the ‘finding our parents’ front, okay?  I mean, I guess it’s totally possible that Jeremiah isn’t with my mother anymore, but he probably would’ve contacted you by now, right?”

Alex nodded.  “I won’t pretend to understand everything going through Dad’s mind.  Speaking of priorities, his are definitely twisted.  But I agree, he’s probably still with Cadmus, and if we find one of our parents, we’ll have a good shot at the other.  So yes, we can be a team I guess.”  Alex chuckled.  “I really never thought I’d say that.  Kara brings the oddest people together sometimes.”

“That she does.  Your sister is a strange and incredible person.  And speaking of her, I promised she could sleep over tonight, and I’ve kept you away from your adorable girlfriend and dog for too long now.”

“Are you kicking me out, Luthor?  So you can have sex with my sister?  Is that really how you’re playing this?  I could just start the ass-kicking now.” 

Lena grinned, and before she realized what she was doing, she wrapped Alex in the sort of tight hug she had only ever given Kara, Sam, or Lex.  Alex tensed at first, then reciprocated.  “Seriously Alex.  Thank you.  This meant a lot.”

“Yeah yeah, sure thing kid.”  Lena shot her a skeptical look.  “What?  I’m pretty sure I’m older than you, right?”

“By like a year, maybe.”

“Exactly.  And I’m at least five years older in terms of emotional maturity, so I can call you kid all I want.  I’ll stop as soon as you can beat me in a sparring match.”

“Ugh.  Whatever.  Get out of my apartment Agent Danvers; your work here is done.  Get home safe.”  As the door closed behind Alex, Lena cleaned up the apartment and then texted Kara to get her sexy butt here ASAP.  They could talk in the morning, but for now, Lena was all talked out.  She had something else in mind.

She heard the swoosh of her balcony door opening just as she was getting the ropes and red lamps out.


	3. Ace Reporter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The anniversary of the Alien Amnesty Act is approaching, and I'm finally writing Kara doing some real reporting.

** Chapter 3 **

Kara had been working as a reporter for nearly a year now, and she finally felt confident in her work.  If she could pull it off, this series would be the crowning achievement of her young career.  The first anniversary of President Marsdin’s Alien Amnesty Act was fast approaching, and Kara had pitched a series of investigative articles discussing what life was like for aliens living in National City since the passage of the executive order, and the subsequent passage of a similar state law in California.  Snapper had been intrigued with the idea, even if he framed his enthusiasm with a constant string of skeptical jabs about her lack of ability to develop sources not named Luthor or Super.

Even Ms. Grant had gone out of her way to encourage the story, calling Kara into her office to discuss the series and what Kara hoped to accomplish with it.  She was sad to say that as a reporter, she answered mostly to Snapper and had much fewer opportunities to talk to Ms. Grant.  At least about work—she was always available when Kara needed advice, whether personal or Supergirl-related.  But Ms. Grant was intrigued by this story, for some reason.  Kara had no idea why, but she could only assume it meant that she was on the right path, journalistically speaking.  And so, she had set out with maximum zeal.

She would find a way to work in Supergirl if her own perspective made sense to the story, but truthfully, the Act hadn’t really changed much of anything for her.  Her Kara Danvers identity was a good one, and she had no intention of living openly as Supergirl anytime soon.  It would only put her loved ones in danger.  So, her first search for a source brought her to the alien bar.  She guessed she could find several sources there, and as she started getting some personal stories of aliens living in National City, the story angles would develop organically.

She surveyed the bar, looking for familiar faces.  The crowd was pretty sparse, which was unsurprising given that it was only three in the afternoon.  But she did recognize a particular blue face posted up at the bar.  She walked over and took a seat next to him.  “Brian, right?”

He turned to Kara, and his initial scowl shifted immediately into a dopey smile.  “Hey there beautiful, do I know you?  If not, I’d like to.”  Kara did her best to mask her disgust as his eager flirting.  The forehead ridges and pronounced, beak-like nose of his pale blue face may have initially appeared threatening, but his smile broke the effect.  He did have nice teeth, though. 

“Kara Danvers, I’m a reporter with the National City Tribune.  If you’re not too busy, I’d like to talk to you for a bit.  Would you mind talking to me on the record?”  Supergirl and her friends had crossed paths with Brian a few times in the last year or so.  He was sort of a degenerate gambler whose only legitimate talent seemed to be getting into trouble.  Kara doubted how good a source he might be, but at minimum he should have an interesting story and might be able to point her to some other sources.

“Buy me a drink, and I’ll tell ya anything you wanna know, sweetheart.”  Kara signaled to the bartender, J’onn’s friend M’gann.

 “Hey there, Kara!  I didn’t know you and Brian were friends.”  M’gann’s tone was light and playful.

“I’m actually talking to him about a story I’m working on.  Would you mind getting him a glass of whatever he wants, on me?”

“Sure thing, hon.”  Brian eagerly ordered something Kara wasn’t even sure she could pronounce, and she ordered a club soda for herself. 

“So then, Brian, tell me: where are you from?  How did you find your way to National City?”

Brian told her his story, in a painfully slow and rambling fashion, with regular breaks to hit on Kara.  He was an Aloi who came to Earth to avoid some gambling debts.  Once he got here, he went ahead and picked up some new gambling debts.  The one halfway relevant part of his story was that he found himself involved in all these shady dealings because he struggled to find a real job.  As a refugee, even after the Amnesty Act made him a U.S. citizen, he didn’t have any applicable skills to find anything more than a minimum wage job.  And the local In-N-Out apparently wasn’t looking to hire an Aloi, even as a janitor.  Kara truly felt sorry for him, even though he creeped her out.  Fortunately, he seemed to genuinely enjoy sharing his story with her.  Once he had given her the names and contact information for some of his friends who might be willing to share their stories, she thanked him and stood up from her seat.

She checked with M’gann before leaving the bar, but the Martian didn’t want to share her story on the record.  She was really nice about it though, and Kara left her a really good tip.  After all, M’gann was a much, **_much_** better bartender than Mon-El had ever been.

~~~~

The story was going great.  Kara still had over week to submit her pieces and have them ready for publication the week of the anniversary, and she had already interviewed over a dozen sources.  What’s more, she still had what she thought would be one of her best sources, a vice president at L-Corp, to interview soon.  Today she was following up on a construction worker who was friends with a few of the contacts Brian had given her.  He was a Valeronian, which sounded familiar to Kara.  She’d had to check with Winn, who reminded her that her first official fight as Supergirl was with a huge butthead of a Valeronian, named Vartox.  Fortunately, Ontor was much nicer that Vartox.

He was kind enough to invite her into his home for the interview, even though she had offered to buy him coffee or even dinner.  She just hoped he would be the final confirmation she needed to make this aspect of her story ironclad.  Several sources had told her that Edge Global Realty, the largest real estate company in the larger National City area, was enforcing a string unofficial policy against hiring aliens.  And it wasn’t just Edge Global, but all of the contractors they worked with regularly—construction companies, furniture manufacturers, electricians, HVAC installers, etc.

He lived in a third-floor studio apartment on the southwest side of town.  He welcomed her in and was nothing but warm.  The place was shabby, but he offered her a seat at the small table between the kitchenette and the living space.

“Mr. … sorry, I guess I don’t know your last name.”

“Ontor is fine, really.”

“Okay then, Ontor.  You work in the construction industry, right?”  Kara didn’t want to prompt him—if Edge really was discriminating against aliens, she was sure Ontor would bring it up himself.  Plus, you never know what interesting avenues an interviewee might take the conversation when you keep your questions vague.

“You could say that.”  Ontor’s voice was gruff and tired, but gentle.  In some ways, he reminded her of J’onn.  “I do a lot of odd jobs, mostly construction-related, but beggars can’t be choosers, you know?” Kara made a sympathetic face, not at all disingenuously.  But she didn’t say anything, hoping he would continue.  And he did, though he sighed first.  “When I first came to this planet, I made my way in a small town a couple of hours south of here.  It was small enough that I could pass off as human, and no one dug too deep into my identity to see that it was fake.  I made a decent life there, and the people there were good, but I was never really happy.  I guess I’m just a big city boy at heart.”

Kara smiled at him, and he smiled in return.  “So, when the president signed that amnesty act or whatever, I thought it was my lucky day.  Finally, I could be a real citizen and get a job under my real name.  Have a bank account.  Actually save some money.  And finally, I could move to the big city.”  The thrill in his voice was obvious, but it was also tinged with pain and disappointment.

“But things didn’t work out quite like you had hoped when you got here, did they?” 

“No ma’am, they did not.”  He sighed again, then stood up.  “I need a drink if I am going to tell this story.  Can I get you anything?”

“Thank you!  I’ll take a glass of water, if you really mean it.”  She made sure to smile—she was here for a story, and she was sure this guy wouldn’t want her pity.  But she did genuinely feel bad for him.  She could already guess where this story would go.

He handed her a glass of water and sat back down across from her.  “So I get to town, and I register.  Get my new identification and everything.  Take in some of the sights.  Find this place, best I could afford at the time.  Told myself it was temporary, until I could find a good construction job.  I figured, guy like me, I should have no problem finding something.  I mean, I’m not Supergirl strong or nothing, but I can lift a hell of a lot more than a human.  And I’m a lot less likely to get hurt on the job.”

Kara could vouch for that.  She remembered how strong Vartox had been, and how difficult to defeat.  “But after the fifth or sixth application that didn’t result in any kind of interview or anything, I started to get suspicious.  So, I ask around a little.  I had a couple of contacts when I moved into town, and I went to a bar where a bunch of construction dudes would get beer sometimes.  That’s when they break it to me.”  He paused, trying to keep from getting too angry.

“There’s this rich asshole, Edge, who basically controls the industry here in the city.  And apparently, he doesn’t like non-humans.  I mean, I guess me being a citizen doesn’t necessarily mean I got a right to work.  I don’t know much about human laws, but I guess that was my mistake.  This dude is apparently stopping any construction companies that do business with his company from hiring any openly alien workers.  And that’s like all the big companies.  I’ve barely been able to get by since then.”

He paused to take a sip of his beer, then went on, voice full of frustration.  “I get odd jobs here and there.  Enough to get by.  Construction gigs with smaller companies that aren’t working with Edge, mostly.  But it’s all at-will stuff, cash business.  Never anything permanent.”

Kara couldn’t pretend not to be devastated by this story any more.  A tear slipped down her cheek, but she quickly looked down and wiped it away.  Hoping he didn’t notice, she tried to keep her best professional reporter face on.  Sympathetic, but not overly so.  She could tell he saw the slip in her façade though.

“You really care don’t you?  I mean… damn that probably sounds rude, huh?  I’ve never really talked to a reporter before, I guess I was expecting someone… well I don’t know, but not you.  You really do have a good heart, don’t ya girl?”

“I hope so, Ontor.  I’m really sorry that the city hasn't been what you had hoped.  What Edge is doing is wrong.  I just wish there were legal protections in place for good guys like you.  I’m sure you’d be great at this construction stuff, and we all know National City could use more people like you.  With all the fights Supergirl gets into with superpowered villains and creatures and what not, I’m sure there’s always a need for construction.”  She set her notebook down, and reached a hand out, placing it on top of his.  “I really hope that this story can help to fix this.  I wanna do what I can.  If I can expose Edge for his bigotry, maybe more people will stand up to him.  I just want you to know that you sharing your story will help, even if only a little.”

“I appreciate that, Ms. Danvers.  I really do.  I’m grateful to be here, to be a citizen.  I really do love this city, but this shit is hard.  And it ain’t just work either.  I got a friend, he was mugged a while back.  The mugger said all kinds of hateful things about him not belonging here—he doesn’t look quite as human as I do—and he really beat him up.  He had a few cracked ribs and a black eye.  The NCPD didn’t do shit about it either.  Apparently the cop who took his report treated him like he was making the whole thing up, kept asking him whether he was in a gang or got into fights.  Then he never heard back from the cops.  They didn’t do anything, couldn’t be bothered with the plight of non-humans.”

“That’s awful, Ontor.  That should never happen.  Look, it’s completely fine if you don’t feel comfortable with it, but do you think your friend might want to talk to me about that experience?  If you want to give me his name and contact information, I can reach out, or if it’s easier, you could just take my card and ask him to reach out?”

“Sure thing, Ms. Danvers.  I’m pretty sure Landock would like to share his story—nice that someone is doing something, even if the cops won’t.  I’ll give him your card and make sure he calls you.  It’s really great that you’re telling our stories.  Pretty young human like you, I’m sure you could write about anything.  Nice to know we’ve got allies out there.”

Kara wished she could be honest with him; Ontor seemed like a genuinely good guy.  She’d check with Lena and see if there was any way she could help him get a steady job somewhere.  In the meantime, his friend Landock might have a good story, and that might open up another avenue of investigation.  If his story checked out, she’d see if Maggie would give a quote about NCPD handling of crimes against aliens.  She’d also clear it with Snapper first, but she wanted to reach out to Edge Realty.  She doubted they would comment—likely the policy was “unofficial” and nobody at the company would be stupid enough to admit to it—but she wouldn’t be doing her due diligence if she didn’t try.

As she got up, she thanked him for talking to her.  She gave him a card, and promised she’d let him know when the article was going to run.  She wished him luck, and then headed out.

~~~~

“Darling, of course, I’ll do whatever I can.  I know that L-Corp works with a number of construction contractors, and I will be sure that we talk to them about their hiring policies.  I have zero interest in working with companies that discriminate.  We’ll be sure to find a place for this Ontor.”  Kara loved Lena so much.  This was exactly the response she knew that she would get.  “Oh!  And I’m so glad that you have enough to expose Edge.  He’s a despicable piece of human garbage.  I’d give you a quote, but I know Snapper won’t run quotes from your girlfriend anymore.”  Ignoring the brief spark of bitterness at the mention of Snapper, Kara responded by jumping on top of Lena and kissing her for a good three minutes.  Then she helped her girlfriend up, smoothed her clothes, and smiled brightly at her.  She loved to lavish unexpected affection on Lena.

“Thanks for the help, creampuff.  I’ll talk to you later!”  She chuckled at Lena’s inability to form words, kissing her goodbye and then sauntering out of the office to go find Sam and her VP of finance.  Sam’s office was on the floor below Lena’s, on the other side of the building.  She said to meet her in the conference room just next to her office.  Kara went down the stairs and across the floor and found the conference room without much trouble.  Kara’s feet halted of their own volition.  The woman waiting for her, sitting across the conference room table from Sam, was **_stunning._**  

Kaziah Dox was relatively human-looking, save for her beautiful seafoam-green skin.  She was short, maybe 5 foot 2 or 5 foot 3, with extremely straight, almost silky, light blonde hair cut in a cropped style just a tiny bit shorter than Alex’s.  Her hair parted far to the right of her head, and she currently had the right side of her hair braided tightly against her scalp.  In contrast, the left side flowed down effortlessly, framing her face and slight but defined jaw in an asymmetrical way that Kara found entrancing.  Her shadowy eye makeup made her brilliant amber-yellow eyes seem almost as though they were lit from behind her irises.  And holy wow, those cheekbones.  Kaziah was well-dressed, in a dark blazer and skinny trousers, with a shimmery gold top.  Her style was somewhere between Sam’s more masculine suits and Lena’s over-the-top feminine dresses.  On her forehead, just above her perfectly sculpted eyebrows, were three white circles in a nearly flat triangular pattern.  They clearly marked her as Coluan, the same species of hyper-intelligent, synthetic-organic hybrid beings as Supergirl’s old nemesis Indigo.  Kaziah’s markings were larger and softer than Indigo’s red circles, almost like flat, shimmering pearls decorating her forehead.  But if Sam vouched for her, Kara felt sure that Kaziah was much less murdery than Indigo.

Realizing she had been standing outside the room for far too long, Kara blushed and walked in.  Both Sam and Kaziah stood to greet her, and Sam introduced the two. 

“Kara Danvers, meet Kaziah Dox.  Kaziah is my star in the finance department and helps out here and there with tech projects throughout L-Corp as well.  She really is the best of us.”

“Oh please, Sam, you flatterer.  I am pleased to meet you, Ms. Danvers.”  Kaziah’s voice was melodic yet flat somehow.  Sonorous, but spoken with so little intonation. 

“Oh please, call me Kara.  It’s a pleasure to meet you also.”  Kara shook her hand enthusiastically, then the three of them sat down, with Kara at the head of the table between the two L-Corp nerds.

“Kaziah, has Sam talked to you about the story I’m looking to write?”

“Indeed she has, Kara Danvers.  You are writing a sort of retrospective on the impact the Alien Amnesty Act has made on the lives of non-human refugees living in National City.  It is my understanding that my own story may be helpful in this endeavor.”

Kara was a little thrown by the stiffness with which Kaziah spoke but responded quickly.  “Yup, exactly!  So, what is your story?  Let’s start with how you came to National City, and then we can talk about whether the amnesty act has led to any changes in your life.”

“Certainly. I came to Earth 82 years ago, fleeing the tyrannical government of my planet Colu.  My clan opposed the rule of the tyrants for a number of reasons, and we elected to leave, though not all together.  Personally, I left because I am a pacifist, and I found the violence on my planet unacceptable.  As you can imagine, I was disappointed to find that Earth was no different.”  Kara understood completely.  She had also found herself disappointed in humanity’s brutality and violence on a number of occasions.  And she hadn’t had to live through World War II.

“I considered leaving Earth and continuing to search for a planet occupied by a people who had grown beyond the influence of their baser evolutionary instincts.  But my ship was damaged.  It took me time to repair it, and during that time I was adopted, more or less, by a village near where my ship touched down.  They showed me the inherent proclivity towards kindness that is so emblematic of many of your species, and that was enough to convince me to stay.  I found my way to the Himalayas and lived among the monks there for the majority of the 20th century.  Then everything changed for me when humanity finally began developing computers.”

Kara was enjoying the story but felt the need to move it along a bit.  “Wow, that sounds incredible, Kaziah.  I actually have a, uhhh, **_friend_** who spent some time in the Himalayas herself.  She had nothing but good things to say about their yurts!  But, jumping ahead a bit, when did you move to National City?”

“Ah yes, I suppose I may have strayed from the path a bit there.  I moved to National City quite recently, in fact.  Two months and seventeen days ago, to be exact.”

“So you came around the same time as Sam, right?  Were you working for Sam back in Metropolis before that?”

“Why yes, I was.  Samantha has been my closest friend in recent years and working with her has been a true privilege.  However, I have only been employed by this company for approximately a year.  Prior to Lena Luthor taking over LuthorCorp, I am quite certain my presence would not have been welcome.  Unlike Ms. Luthor, her brother’s hatred for non-humans was quite pronounced.”  Kara had expected some anger from Kaziah when she spoke about Lex’s bigotry, but her tone never changed.  If she was angry, she didn’t show it.  Kara thought she was quite odd, but in a cute way?

“Yes, Lena is a definite improvement over Lex.  So what were you doing before Sam hired you?” 

“I worked at my own financial consulting firm.  You see, there are few things I enjoy more than numbers and calculations.  I’ve been told that this is considered highly unusual in American society, but I am who I am.  I’ve tried my hands at theoretical physics and various engineering endeavors, but ultimately, I find the most pleasure just crunching simple numbers.  Or, what I consider to be simple anyway.  I’m told that handling the finances of major companies in the United States is actually quite complicated for most humans.  Which is bizarre, to be frank, but I am aware of the intellectual shortcomings of the human brain.”  Kaziah paused, as if realizing that she had committed a faux pas.

“I apologize; that probably sounds arrogant or condescending.  That was not my intention.  I admire humans quite a lot.  I was simply stating a fact.  I do not fault humans for being less intelligent than Coluans.  My people have a higher intellect than most known species in the universe.”  Again, her tone did not change, but Kara could tell from her facial expressions and body language (which were still more muted than she would expect) that Kaziah was legitimately concerned that she had caused offense.

“Kaziah, it’s no problem.  I understand what you meant, and I didn’t take any offense.  You were telling me about how big a math nerd you were—you had your own company?”  Kara caught Sam grinning at them, out of the corner of her eye.

“Ah yes, thank you, Kara Danvers.  Yes, I had my own company for several decades.  I was, of course, not the public face of the company.  I formed it with several humans I had grown to trust.  I performed most of the work, while they interacted with the clients.  It was approximately five years ago that we began consulting on a project-by-project basis with Samantha’s finance department at LuthorCorp.  My coworkers spoke highly of Samantha, and so I investigated her.  Suspecting that she would accept me, and that we would get along very well, I sought her out on a dating app.”

Kara’s eyes went wide, and she glanced back and forth between Sam and Kaziah.  Sam laughed at her shock, but Kaziah’s face remained neutral, save for the slightest of grins.  “You asked Sam out on a date?!”  Kara couldn’t even try to maintain her professionalism after that revelation.

“Easy there, Kara.  Yes, we went on a date, but no, we didn’t have any kind of romantic relationship.  I can tell you all about it another time, but that’s not important for your story.  The point that Kaziah would have gotten to **_eventually_** —” Sam made a face at Kaziah, and Kara thought she could see a smile in Kaziah’s golden eyes, even though there was not one across her lips.  “—was that we became friends, and I made every effort to work with her company as often as possible.  Once Lena was in charge of LuthorCorp and promoted me to CFO, my first act was to call Kaziah and see if she wanted to come work with me.  Fortunately for me, she trusted my faith in Lena and her new direction for the company and agreed to become my vice president.  And since the Alien Amnesty Act passed, she has been able to live openly as herself for the first time since she left the monks.  And you deserve every good thing life throws at you, Ziah.”  The affection that Sam held for Kaziah couldn’t have been more obvious, and Kara made a mental note to pump Sam for information later.

“That is correct.  I greatly admire President Marsdin and those like her who have devoted themselves to building an inclusive society.  My life has improved tremendously since the Act, and its corresponding statute in California, have passed.  Moreover, I am proud to work for a company like L-Corp.  Under Ms. Luthor’s leadership, we have been a passionate advocate for alien rights, and L-Corp employs more non-humans than any other company in the United States.  Ms. Luthor and Samantha are true allies.”  Kara was still weirded out by the dual nature of Kaziah’s voice, so lovely sounding but so monotonous.  She knew that she could not **_hear_ ** the sentiment in her words, but Kara believed she could actually **_feel_** it.

“I’m pretty proud to call them my friends, too,” Kara responded and smiled broadly at the Coluan.  _Nothing at all like Indigo.  I hope I get an opportunity to know her better._   Kara had the quotes she needed but found herself hesitating to bring the meeting to a close.  Sam was so very cute in how she gushed over Kaziah.  Kara couldn’t stop staring at her friend’s bright smile and the way her body lit up.  Sam was so expressive with her emotions, and it was one of Kara’s favourite things about her.

But she had a story to write, and she still needed to interview Maggie before she could get moving on the series.  “Well, Kaziah, I’m so very happy I got to meet you.  I would love a chance to chat again, off the record—your story sounds incredible.”  Kara found herself wishing that Sam knew about Supergirl; assuming she and Kaziah eventually proved themselves trustworthy, she was sure that the conversational possibilities would open up even further once the Coluan understood that she was Kryptonian.  Heck, if she spent too much time with Kaziah, she would probably figure it out on her own—Coluan advanced intellect and what not.  Oh well.

“I believe I would very much enjoy that, Kara Danvers.  I assume that you are indicating our conversation is coming to a close?”

“Seriously, it’s just Kara.  And yes, I think I have enough for my story.  But it really has been a pleasure.”  They shook hands again, and Kaziah left the room.  Sam stuck behind to chat.  “Okay, you’re going to have to tell me so much more about her, and soon.  What’s with the whole emotionless thing?”

“That’s a story for later, Kara; I’m sure we should both get back to work soon.  But don’t think I didn’t notice how captivated you were by her.  Ziah’s gorgeous, huh?”  Sam’s voice was teasing, and Kara knew she should try to pretend, but she found herself agreeing without meaning to.

“I mean holy wow she’s … well, she’s stunning.  Sam, I was literally stunned when I first saw her.”  Sam laughed raucously, and Kara might’ve blushed if she wasn’t so focused on how much she liked Sam’s laugh.  “Yeah, I get it.  Lena has the hots for her, too, but she’ll never admit it.”  Kara felt her face drop a bit, but immediately caught herself and smiled again.  Jealousy was still a new experience for her, but it wasn’t like she could be upset at Lena for appreciating Kaziah’s beauty.  She wasn’t that big a hypocrite.

Sam was laughing at her again, clearly sensing the inner turmoil.  “Shut up, Kara’s brain.  You and Lena are fine—there’s nothing wrong with admiring the beauty of other people, even if you two are monogamous.”  _If?_   “Hey, if you’re not busy tonight, let’s grab drinks, just you and me.  I can fill you in on the rest of Kaziah’s story, and you can tell me how your reporting is going.”

“You don’t have to get home to Ruby?”  Kara knew immediately that she would take Sam up on the offer but didn’t want to seem too eager.

“Nah, she’s studying at a friend’s house until later.  I’ll have a couple of hours to kill after work before I need to go pick her up.  Come on!  You know you want to.”  Sam’s sing-song delivery was delightful.  Kara was helpless.

“Yes!  I mean, yeah, okay, cool.  I’ll text you when I’m done with work, and we’ll take it from there?”

“You’re damn right, we will.  I’ll even talk to my boss about maybe letting me step out a bit early—I’m sure if I explain that I’m grabbing drinks with a gorgeous blonde, she’ll understand.”  _Gorgeous?!_   Kara felt like her brain had completely shut down, and she pushed her glasses back up her nose and giggled nervously.  “Easy there, Danvers.  Anyone ever tell you that you’re like the easiest person in the world to fluster?”

“Hey!  That’s not fair; I’m not **_that_** bad.”  Sam’s skeptical look said otherwise, and Kara conceded defeat.  She just wanted out of the situation so she could find her bearings again. 

Sam grinned, but took pity on her.  She wrapped Kara up in a warm hug, telling her that she’d see her soon before letting go.  Then she turned and ambled out of the conference room without looking back.

 _Rao, I know_ **far** _too many amazing women.  How did I get so lucky?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone was wondering, I was picturing Lauren German in my head when I wrote Kaziah. She plays Chloe on the show Lucifer, if anyone watches it or wants to go look her up for reference. Really enjoyed writing this character, and I might have to bring her back soon.


	4. Drinks, Discrimination, and Deadlines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam takes Kara to the lesbian bar, then Kara finishes up her story--including an interview with Maggie and a confrontation with Snapper.

** Chapter 4 **

“Kara, seriously, you’ve **_never_** been here?!”  Sam was baffled.  She was new to the city, a busy CFO, and a single mom, and she had already found her way to the Con at least half a dozen times.  Then here was Kara—a stunning bisexual who was not only dating National City’s most powerful lesbian, but whose sister was also gay—who had never even heard of the city’s lesbian bar.

She and Kara were leaned up against the bar, facing towards the dance floor.  Sam had slammed her drink down on the bar and turned to face Kara in shock when the blonde confessed that this was the first time she had been to The Con.  Kara was now blushing under Sam’s incredulous gaze, and Sam softened just slightly.  _Ugh, I have such a weakness for soft girls._

“Lena, Alex, and Maggie have failed you, Blondie.  You are **_so_** lucky that I’m here now.” 

Kara perked up at that.  “That’s definitely true!  But please no more ribbing me about not knowing about the bar.  Yes, I get it I’m a bad bi.  But I just … I don’t really go out a lot!  If we go out, we usually go to the alien bar, but more often we just hang out at my place or Alex and Maggie’s.”

Sam sighed dramatically before giving Kara the side eye.  “Excuses, excuses.  But fine, I’ll drop it.  We’re coming here more often from now on, though.  I love it here.  Now let’s go grab a booth so we can chat.”

She walked off, leaving Kara to follow her to the booth she selected, towards the corner of the bar, on the other side of the dance floor.  She stopped and gestured for Kara to enter the booth first.  Sam prided herself on being a gentleman.  Then, on a spur of the moment whim, she sidled in next to Kara rather than sitting across from her.  The priceless look on Kara’s face was instantly worth any possible awkwardness. 

“So, did you just not really date before you met Lena, or what?”  She knew that Kara was dying to ask more about Kaziah, but now Sam was curious. 

“I mean, no, not really?”  Sam could feel her eyes go wide.  If Kara and Lena weren’t so adorably in love, Sam would’ve already made a move on the quirky blonde.  How was it that she didn’t have suitors asking her out left and right?  Or maybe they were asking but she wasn’t interested?  If she was waiting for the perfect Lena Luthor to come around, Sam couldn’t exactly blame her.

Clearly Sam’s shocked face prompted Kara to explain further.  “I mean I went on a couple of dates every now and then.  James and I even almost kind of started dating, right before I met Lena.  I just … I don’t know, Sam, it just wasn’t something that really grabbed my attention?  My closest relationship has always been with Alex, and I just never really vibed with anyone like I do with her, at least no one that I might feel romantic about or anything.  Ugh now I’m rambling again.  Sorry I always do this—”

“Oh please, Kara, like you don’t know how damn cute your whole flustered babbling thing is.”  Kara blushed again, and Sam hoped she wasn’t laying it on too thick.  Or rather, she was absolutely trying to lay it on thick, but she hoped Kara didn’t misinterpret her intentions.  “So… you just weren’t really interested in dating?”

“Yeah, no… I guess not.  I mean, I had crushes!  But after the initial, like, awkward getting to know a person thing, my interest always waned, and that’s not fair to people.  I found joy in other things, other sorts of relationships, and for … reasons … I couldn’t find the same joy in dating.  Until Lena.”  _Reasons, huh?_

“I guess I understand that.  I don’t exactly date a lot myself.  Or … I mean, I guess I **_do_** date a lot, but I don’t really do relationships.”  Sam hadn’t meant to reveal that, but it had just sort of come out.

“Why is that, if you don’t mind me asking?  You’re such an incredible person—I know we haven’t known each other long, but I can already see that you’re a wonderful and supportive friend.  And mom!  Oh… is that why?  Cuz of Ruby?”  If Sam didn’t know any better, she’d have thought Kara was fishing for something.  But she **_did_** know better.

“Ruby is part of it, sure.  My heart belongs to her first and foremost, and between her and work, I don’t think I really have the bandwidth to commit myself to that sort of a partnership.  I have all the love and support I need from friends like you and Lena, so the only thing really missing is sex.  So, I date, and as long as I’m upfront about what I’m looking for, that usually works out great.”  She winked at Kara, never passing on an opportunity to fluster her.

“Well as long as you’re happy.”  Kara chewed on her lip, unsubtly weighing whether to ask something.  “Still … I mean it’s clear that you have some history, though. Like with—” _Lena?_   Sam hoped she wasn’t about to ask, “Kaziah?” _Oh good._   They’d talk more about Sam’s history with Lena eventually, but she was definitely not ready yet.

“Caught onto that, did you?”  Kara grinned, apparently proud that her journalistic instincts had steered her correctly.  Sam resisted the urge to roll her eyes and instead smiled back.  “That’s a complicated back story.  Ziah’s a complicated woman.  I guess maybe I am, too, if I’m being honest.  But no, I was being honest when I told you that she and I never had any kind of serious romantic relationship.”

“So what was it then?  Was she just … like a sex buddy?”  Sam could tell Kara was resisting the urge to giggle a little.  It was delightful how innocent Kara seemed sometimes, even though Sam was sure she and Lena got up to plenty of racy activities in private. 

“Something like that.  Kaziah doesn’t really form romantic attachments.  In fact, she doesn’t exactly experience emotions the way you or I do.  You’ve seen _Person of Interest_ , right?”

Kara’s face broke into a smile, and she butted in, “Oh!  She’s like Shaw, isn’t she?  I could tell something was unique about her, well several things seem unique about her, but the intonation of her voice was just so … steady?  But not in like a bad way!”  Kara grabbed and squeezed Sam’s had, not wanting her to think she was insulting Kaziah.

Sam squeezed back.  “It’s okay, Kara.  It was **_very_** obvious you didn’t exactly find Ziah off-putting.”  She smirked at the pink that rose to Kara’s cheeks, and noted with intrigued curiosity that Kara didn’t move her hand off of her own.  “But yes, Shaw is the easiest analog I can suggest for Kaziah’s personality.  Much less violent and murdery, though.  I think Ziah experiences emotions, they’re just dulled and well … expressed differently.  She definitely experiences affection, curiosity, empathy, and interest.  She just doesn’t wear her emotions on her sleeve, and she doesn’t really emote the way humans do.  I thought it was because she’s like an organic supercomputer or whatever, but she insists that not all of her people experience emotion the way she does.” 

A flash of something like recognition danced across Kara’s eyes, but she didn’t say anything.  This wasn’t the first time Kara gave off an “I have secrets” vibes, but Sam never pushed her on it.  The mystery just added to Kara’s appeal, and Sam was dead set on getting to know her better, to earn her trust. 

“The thing is, Ziah’s also aromantic.  She doesn’t do romance.  Isn’t interested in forming those sorts of connections.  Fortunately for me—and others, I assume—the girl is **_definitely_** not asexual.”  Sam couldn’t keep the desire out of her voice.  “She’s easily the best lay I’ve ever had.”  Kara blushed again, and glanced quickly at Sam, eyes half-lidded.  Then she got awkward and withdrew her hand, which Sam would guess she had forgotten she had left resting on Sam’s.  _Interesting._   Sam filed the reaction away for later pondering.

She waited for Kara to collect herself and respond, curious how the younger woman would try to play off the sudden awkwardness.  Kara kept her gaze firmly in her lap, where she fidgeted with her hands for a good ten seconds.  Then she asked, tentatively, “So, is that like a regular thing?”

“What, me and Ziah fucking?”  Sam couldn’t resist poking Kara a little, and the blonde peeked back up with wide eyes.  “Oh please Kara, I know you and Lena get up to all sorts of **_fun_** , how is it that you still get so adorable and nervous when I talk about sex?”

“Pssh!  No I don’t!  Sex is great!  I love sex!  I’m sure you are great at sex… I mean, oh Rao-er god, I … I didn’t mean, I’m not.  I mean I’m sure you’re really good at sex and Kaziah too, but I didn’t mean to be all … gosh, I’m so awkward, I can’t even pretend.  Please don’t make fun of me.”

Sam laughed out loud, not even trying to hold it in.  “Oh yeah, Kara, you’re way cool when it comes to talking about sex.”

“Sorry!  I promise I’m very sex positive, I just.  I guess I’m still getting used to being around people who talk about it openly.  The Danvers never really talked about sex stuff around me and Alex, and Alex was in the closet for so long, I guess she sort of buried the topic deep in her mind.  You and Maggie—and Lucy sometimes—are the first people I’ve hung out with you are so open about it.  Which is great!!  Really, it is.  I’m just getting used to it.”

Sam just looked at her, smiling warmly.  Kara was such an enigma, one that Sam was so curious to puzzle out.  Kara returned her gaze, growing more confident and less nervous.  “I’m not embarrassed of sex—Lena and I have the most incredible sex, really.  Not that I have a ton of experience to compare it to.  Ugh.  I just … don’t want you to think I’m judging you, or that I’m some sort of stick in the mud.”

“Oh don’t worry about that, Blondie.  I’m well aware that you are **_far_** from dull.”  Sam finished off her drink, looking down as she casually dropped, “But I’d be lying if I didn’t say the thought of you covered in mud wasn’t enticing as hell.”

“What?! I …”  Kara chuckled almost maniacally, clearly thrown off by Sam’s brashness.  “Sam!!  You can’t just… does Lena know that you’re such an obvious flirt?  I mean… you’re worse than Maggie.” 

Realizing she might have pushed it just a little too far, Sam was quick to reassure Kara.  “Oh believe me, Lena is well aware.  And I promise, I wouldn’t flirt with you so openly if I wasn’t sure Lena was fine with it.  She’s my best friend—I would never, ever do anything to hurt her.”  She reached out her hand slowly, waiting to see if Kara would pull back.  She didn’t, and Sam’s hand rested soothingly on her knee.  “Or you, for that matter.  If I make you feel uncomfortable, I can definitely tone it down.”  She hoped she wouldn’t have to—Kara was so fucking cute, and flirting with her was one of Sam’s favourite pastimes.

“No!” Kara blushed again, clearly not meaning to have responded so emphatically.  “I just mean, no, it’s fine.  I like it; it’s fun.  I’m just not used to it, and I also would never want to hurt Lena.  Just another thing I’m still getting used to, I guess.”

“I get it.  And I’m glad I don’t have to stop.  But if you’re worried about it, you should talk to Lena.  Communication is the absolute most important thing in a relationship, especially a loving committed one like you’ve got with Lena.  You shouldn’t just take my word for it.”  Kara nodded, and Sam hoped she would take the advice.

“Now, let’s get another drink.”  Sam grabbed Kara’s hand and pulled her back towards the bar.

~~~~

Kara was glad she couldn’t get drunk off of human booze.  She could only imagine the kind of hangover Sam must have this morning.  Lena had called to see how their date was going (she had playfully insisted on calling it a date, presumably just to mess with Kara), and Sam took the phone.  After explaining how delightful Lena’s girlfriend was, she had indicated that she had to go pick up Ruby, so they were calling it a night.  Lena had immediately insisted that she could take care of Ruby, and they should stay out as late as they wanted.

Kara had protested, but Lena and Sam ignored her.  They ended up staying out till nearly midnight, and Kara had had to drive Sam home.  Lena was waiting, having already put Ruby to bed, and Kara passed out in Lena’s car on the way home.  She didn’t even know which home until she woke up the next morning in her own bed.

And so, she found herself getting a later start to her day that usual.  Fortunately, her first appointment wasn’t until 10, when she was grabbing coffee with Maggie so that Kara could interview her about the NCPD’s handling of crimes against aliens.  As she walked in, she saw that Maggie had beaten her there and ordered her what she hoped was a white chocolate mocha.  “Good morning, L’il Danvers!”  She hugged Kara warmly, and both sat down.  “I hear you had quite the night with Lena’s overly attractive bestie.”

Ignoring the quip, Kara responded pleasantly.  “Rao, Maggie, it’s a good thing I can’t get drunk at a normal bar.  Or not exactly normal—how come you never told me about the lesbian bar?  No, you know what, I’ll bug you about that later.  The point is, Sam can drink.  I’m not entirely sure that she couldn’t drink Alex under a table.”

“Oh please, no one can outdrink my girl.”  Maggie’s pride in Alex’s drinking skills was really cute, actually.

“I don’t know, Maggie, you weren’t there.  But yeah, it was a later night than I’m used to, save for the occasional Supergirl mission.  How was your night?”

“I had a late shift, then helped Alex and Vasquez apprehend a rogue alien.  And no, don’t worry, we didn’t need your help.  But hey, that’s enough with the pleasantries—you’re here to talk to me about how the NCPD is mistreating aliens.”  She said it flippantly, but Kara could feel the rough edge in Maggie’s voice that said she wasn’t entirely joking.

“Maggie come on now—I know I was uh overly passionate early in my career—”

“Early?  In your lengthy eleven month career as a reporter?” 

Kara glared at her, then continued.  “Yes fine, whatever.  But I have a better idea of what I’m doing now, and I’m not looking to just rip the NCPD to shreds.  You know me better than that.  I work side by side—well I mean not literally, but still—with you and your fellow officers all the time.  But I have multiple sources now who are claiming various forms of discrimination or at least lack of due diligence and care by the NCPD on alien-related issues.  I need the NCPD’s side of this, and I trust you to be honest with me.”

Maggie sloshed around her coffee in its cup, then sighed and set it down.  Looking back up at Kara, she said, “I know, Kara.  Sorry for being defensive.  Shit is hard enough for the police in this town, and the last thing we need is being vilified in the press for being anti-alien.”  Kara gave her a look, and Maggie threw up her hands.  “Fine!  Yes, I know.  I’m with you—I’ve been the one standing up for aliens all along, just ask Alex about the first time I took her to the bar.”

Kara hadn’t heard this story and was almost curious enough to be distracted from her purpose.  But then she pulled out her recorder and notepad, and asked, “Okay then, as long as we’re on the same page here, what can you tell me about these allegations?”

Maggie was still pretty defensive at first, and it wasn’t until she and Kara came to an agreement that Maggie’s identity would be kept anonymous that she really opened up.  Snapper hadn’t technically given Kara that authority, but she hoped he wouldn’t scold her too much for it. 

Maggie admitted that there were several stations where rumours of discrimination were poorly kept secrets.  It was a minority opinion, but there were more than a few cops whose sympathies lay with Cadmus, especially after the widespread destruction caused by the Daxamites.  The invaders had targeted the police specifically, and almost everyone had a friend who was injured or killed by the Daxamites.  Good cops understood that not all aliens were like the Daxamites, but even some of the ones who weren’t openly anti-alien couldn’t help but be affected by the experience.

She wasn’t surprised that an officer had treated the alien who was mugged as if he was making the whole thing up.  It did really piss her off, though.  Maggie didn’t have a ton of power as a detective, but she and others did what they could to try and encourage greater transparency and less biased policing.  Personally, she couldn’t believe the rampant hypocrisy from some of her peers.  She knew at least three cops personally who were huge Supergirl fans but nevertheless treated the poorer or less human-looking aliens of National City like second-class citizens.

Off the record, Maggie told her that she was really happy Kara had enough to cover this side of things.  The NCPD could never get better if there wasn’t enough pressure to stop with the discrimination.  Kara knew how difficult this was for her—Maggie was a police officer through and through, and it wasn’t easy admitting that something you believe in so strongly has major flaws that need to be addressed.  

They had finished the interview and walked outside, towards the lot where Maggie’s car was parked.  Kara placed a hand gently on Maggie’s arm to stop her, and she turned to face her.  “Hey, I really appreciate you going on the record here.  I didn’t realize that there were already steps being taken within NCPD to address some of these allegations.  I think I can really tell a story here that is going to help your goal of improving the department without disparaging them.  My story will be so much better thanks to you.”

She hugged Maggie, and when the detective pulled back she was smiling.  “I get it.  And you’re welcome.  Sorry I was kind of a shit about it at first.  It’s just hard.  But you’re right: things have to change.  Life is hard enough for these refugees without the NCPD making it harder.  And I’m proud of you, L’il Danvers.  Supergirl does a lot of good for this city, but so does Kara Danvers.”

Kara nearly teared up but instead hugged Maggie again.  “Ouch ouch ouch, too much love, L’il Danvers!”  Kara released her immediately and apologized profusely.  Maggie was so awesome; Kara couldn’t believe she had ever disliked her.

“Seriously, Maggie, thank you.  This is the last part I needed, and I’m sure this series is going to be a huge deal.  Do a lot of good.  It means a lot to me that you’re proud.  I gotta head out now, but I’ll check in on Gerty this afternoon, okay?”

Maggie gave her a joking salute, then turned back to her Kara.  Grinning, Kara walked off in the other direction.  CatCo was only a few blocks over, and it was a beautiful day.

~~~~

“Look, Ponytail, I’m not gonna bullshit you.  Anti-alien violence and alleged NCPD discrimination, coming out of the shadows, assimilation—these are all good pieces.  I can run them.  But the workplace discrimination piece ain’t cutting it.  You basically spent the whole piece praising L-Corp and vilifying Edge Global, and I can’t run that.  Especially not when it’s written by the girlfriend of L-Corp’s CEO.”

“What?!”  Kara knew she was going to have to fight for it, but the workplace discrimination piece was the one she felt most passionately.  She refused to let Snapper dismiss it out of hand.  “I have eight different sources.  None of them are Lena.  I knew what I was doing.  This **_is_** a story.  It’s an important story.  Aliens in this city are living in poverty because Edge has a stranglehold on the construction and real estate industries and are blatantly refusing to hire aliens.  We **_have_** to tell this story.”

“You could have a hundred sources, and it would still look like bias!”  Snapper’s stupid growly voice and stupid scowly face were intimidating when she had first started, but Kara had learned recently that he could be worn down.  Fortunately, she didn’t have to, not this time.

“Bias?  I didn’t realize that facts could **_be_** biased.  When did this happen, and why did no one tell me?”  Snapper was facing Kara, and as a result, his back was to the door.  So, he had been oblivious to Ms. Grant slipping into his office.  He turned, scowl deepening.

“Oh great.  Because of course you had to come stick up for your golden girl.”

“Orrr I own the building and the paper, and I can do whatever the hell I want, **_Lucas_**.  Like, take a stroll through the offices of the newspaper I own.  Like, order you to run a well-written, excellently sourced piece that is going to be a huge success for **_my_** paper and a vital story for **_my_** city.  You’re a smart man, surely you didn’t forget that?” 

Kara made sure she didn’t grin openly, but she loved when Ms. Grant did this.  Would she have rather won Snapper over herself, without Ms. Grant stepping in?  Sure.  But seeing the overly serious Snapper get sarcastically cut down to size by the Queen of All Media was one of Kara’s favourite things in the whole world.

It was also a rare occurrence.  Kara could tell that Ms. Grant trusted and valued Snapper, despite his abrasive demeanor, because she mostly tried to give him autonomy to run the Tribune how he saw fit.  Having worked for him for a year now, Kara understood what a gift Ms. Grant had given her by bringing Snapper in as her boss.  She kind of hated the man, but she had learned so much from him.  

But he was wrong here, and both she and Ms. Grant knew it.  They both also knew he wouldn’t give in without a fight.  “You may own the building.  You may own the paper, even.  But I’ve got the final say on editorial decisions.  We’re making progress on building the reputation of this paper, but even Cat Grant must know how it will look if a former tabloid runs a fluff piece glorifying L-Corp for pro-alien policies **_written by the CEO’s girlfriend_**.”

“Oh yes, god forbid our reporter with the best access to L-Corp and its employees do some digging and find a great story.  I read the piece pretty thoroughly, but I must have missed the part where Ms. Danvers interviewed Ms. Luthor personally and then opined at length about the beautiful and glorious work being personally done by Ms. Luthor herself.  Did you get a different copy than I did?  Because the one I read was well-sourced and based on facts, comparing hiring policies by two of National City’s biggest companies.”

“Whether or not Lena Luthor was personally involved in the piece is irrelevant!  Danvers is clearly painting a pro-Luthor, anti-Edge—”

“ ** _The facts_** paint a pro-Luthor, anti-Edge story.  Ms. Danvers was simply doing her job.”

“You know, **_Ms. Danvers_** is actually still here.”  Snapper glared at her, and Ms. Grant rolled her eyes sarcastically.

“Yes, Kara, we were aware.  I can smell the tacky perfume from here.”

Kara frowned, but pressed her point.  “My point is that I can defend my own work.”  She turned to look at Snapper.  “Which is **_good_** work.  National City has been through a lot the past year, and the Alien Amnesty Act has had a huge effect on so many of its residents.  This series could make their lives better.  It could push entities like the NCPD and companies like Edge Global to do better in the future.  It sheds a light on people who are only just recently being allowed to come out of the shadows.  This is the best thing I’ve ever written.  I believe in it.  Ms. Grant clearly does too.  So, stop being your normal stubborn self and do the best thing for **_your_** paper.”

Kara did her best not to cringe—she knew she had probably overstepped and that Snapper was about to rage at her.  Except that he didn’t.  There was no break in his grumpy demeanor, but Kara thought she could see the struggle leave his body.  Ms. Grant subtly winked in her direction.  Then he spoke up.

“Fine.  The series will run Monday through Thursday, and we’ll run the work discrimination piece last.  Hopefully the first three will build up enough goodwill that the last one doesn’t ruin us.”  Kara could hear the resignation in his voice, but she wasn’t one to gloat.  Ms Grant was though.

“Ah well, I knew you’d see reason eventually.  I **_did_** hire you for a reason, and it certainly wasn’t your cheery attitude.  You know how to run a newspaper, even if you need a little **_push_** every now and again.”  She stood from where she was leaned against the wall.  “Now.  I have a media empire to run.  Good work, you two.”


	5. Descent into Despair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a week after Kara's expose revealed his anti-alien hiring policies, Morgan Edge comes forward with allegations that Lena's lead dispersal device has led to a series of lead poisoning outbreaks, mostly involving children. As Lena struggles with her own guilt and depression, Sam and Kara do everything they can to uncover the truth and to protect their girl.

** Chapter 5 **

It was odd how normal it felt to have people over to her penthouse.  Everything seemed normal.  The lights of the city gleamed through the darkness outside her massive windows, as usual.  Music was playing softly throughout the apartment even though the local news was playing (even more softly) on the TV in the living room.  Lena had a glass of excellent scotch in her hand.  Her eyes lit up as they always did when they drifted across the beautiful minimalist painting Kara had created for her.  It drew inspiration from a double date they had gone on with Alex and Maggie, when Alex had first dyed her hair purple and Lena and Maggie had gotten tattoos.  Silhouettes of the four of them stood in differing poses in front of the backdrop of a gorgeous sunset, each framed by their own distinctive colour.

What was unusual, historically, is that all four of them were now occupying Lena’s penthouse together.  Sounds of laughing and conversation filled the space.  Lena and Kara were leaned against the bar.  Maggie and Alex were sitting at the dining table, but their chairs were turned facing Lena and Kara.  Lena had her arm around Kara’s waist and pulled her close for a soft kiss before turning back to the room.

“My girlfriend the ace reporter, everyone!”  Lena gave the joking toast, raising her glass of scotch.  Kara’s Alien Amnesty Act series had been a wild success, giving the National City Tribune its best sales and biggest subscription bump since the CatCo purchase.  Better still, Snapper Carr had been forced to admit that Kara was perfectly capable of reporting on L-Corp without any bias hurting the final product.  Lena was quite proud.

“You’ll be coming for Lois Lane’s Pulitzer any day now, L’il Danvers.”

Alex elbowed her girlfriend.  “You better not let Lois hear you say that.  She’s pretty damn competitive.”  Lena was vaguely aware of Lois Lane, having lived in Metropolis all those years, but she hadn’t actually met the renowned journalist (and wife of Superman).  But from the actual look of anxiety on Kara’s face, Lena had to assume Alex was not exaggerating. 

“Yes well, Pulitzer or no, I’m just glad you exposed that bastard Morgan Edge and his gross anti-alien worldview for the entire city to see.  I just wish I could have been there to see the look on his face when that final article dropped.”  Edge was an arrogant, creepy misogynist, but Lena hadn’t realized that he was also a Lillian Luthor-level bigot on top of that.  Not until Kara’s investigation.  She wouldn’t be shocked at all to discover that some portion of his considerable wealth might be going to fund Cadmus, but she hadn’t had time yet to really dig in on that angle in her continuing search for her mother.

“Sounds like you really hate the guy, L’il Luthor.  There a history there?”  Maggie’s detective instincts were usually sound, but were a bit misplaced here.  There was no history, per se, just Lena’s hatred for her mother spilling out to others like her.

“No, not really.  I’ve run into him on a number of occasions, and our companies have done business.  He’s a massive piece of shit, but he knows what he is doing with his business empire.  I had invested in a number of his companies and ventures prior to Kara’s investigation, but I’ve since moved those funds around to more worthwhile investments.  Mostly I just can’t stand the amount of oppression and terror that continues to be propagated by these powerful, small-minded fucks like him and …”  Lena’s words trailed off, but Alex finished the sentence for her.

“And your mom.  It’s okay, Lena.”  She smiled at Alex in thanks, but found it odd that Kara hadn’t taken part in the conversation.  She turned to her girlfriend and immediately noticed the crease in her forehead—a sure sign of frustration.  Kara’s head was turned slightly away from the other women, towards the living room. 

Her eyes flashed in concern, and she said softly, “Lena, I think you should turn up the TV.”  The four of them heeded Kara’s suggestion and walked briskly over to the living room area, where Lena turned up the volume.

“Speak of the devil,” Maggie scoffed.  Edge was on the screen, speaking live from the Luthor Children’s Hospital.  Lena’s body stiffened.

“What is that scumbag doing in my hospital?”  They listened as he was talking about Lena’s lead dispersal device that had scared off the Daxamites, ending the invasion.  She bristled as he called it a ‘bomb.’  All her old doubts and guilt began swirling again in the back of her mind.  Edge explained that there was an outbreak of lead poisoning that was affecting children all over the city.

Kara’s hand wrapped her own up tightly.  They stood in silence as Edge squatted down next to a sick boy in a wheelchair and leveled his accusation.  Lena was furious—he had chosen his location strategically, and now he was blaming her for poisoning those kids from the hospital to which she had given so much time, energy, and donations.  

Lena let go of Kara’s hand as she began walking towards the door.  “I’ve gotta get down there.”  Kara stopped her.

“Hey, I’ll fly you there.  We’ll get there faster, maybe you can confront him.”  Kara’s voice said that she didn’t approve of such a confrontation, but her girlfriend knew her well enough to know that the best thing she could do right now was support her.

“Fine, love.  Thank you.”  She turned back to Maggie and Alex as Kara super sped into her Supergirl uniform.  “My home is yours, stick around as long as you like.”  Then they were off.

The flight was short, and they landed in a nearby alley were Kara could change back to her civilian clothes.  Lena could see the press dispersing, but fortunately they didn’t notice her as she and Kara slipped in through the front doors of the hospital.  They headed towards the intensive care wing where the children were being treated.  As they neared, Lena caught sight of a familiar face.  Kara noticed her, too.

“Sam?” Kara asked.

Lena followed up with, “What are you doing here?”

Sam turned as they walked over to her, her arms crossed and an expression of pure worry darkening her soft features.  Her voice was weak and heavy with concern.  “Hey.  Ruby had a friend over to our place tonight, Luke, and he collapsed maybe an hour or two ago.  I rode along with the paramedics.  His mom just got here.”

Lena reached out to support her friend, placing a hand on Sam’s elbow.  A thought flashed through her mind before she could stop it.  _Did I do this?_   Then Sam continued.

“And I just saw Edge’s stunt, too.  This whole thing is awful.”  She looked straight at Lena, and her body language said everything.  Sam didn’t think Lena should be there.  Sam knew she was there looking for a fight and did not approve of any such confrontation right now.  Sam also knew, like Kara, that she had no shot of deterring Lena.  “Lee.  Fuck this guy; we all know that this wasn’t you.”

But Lena’s focus was on a different voice, just down the hall.  _Edge_.  Suddenly she was stalking past Sam, her whole body now animated by her anger.  “Where the **_hell_** do you get off?!”  She stopped right in front of him, but he ignored her, handing a thick stack of papers to the nurse beside him.  As the nurse walked off, Lena struck her most intimidating pose, standing straight at her full height and crossing her arms.  She could tell that Sam and Kara had caught up and were now standing behind her.

“That was me, paying the end of the medical expenses at **_your_** hospital.”  His facial expression and stance reeked of self-satisfaction and gloating.  Lena resisted the urge to punch him in his smug face.

“So this is what your revenge looks like?”  Lena was trying her hardest to avoid the possibility that while Edge was clearly using this to his advantage, the lead poisoning might still, in fact, be her fault.  Instead she focused on the likelihood that this was all a stunt, as Sam had suggested, aimed at retaliating against Lena and Kara for the National City Tribune piece.

“Have you ever heard of the colonial effect, Lena?”

“If you’re talking about British-occupied India, then yes, I fucking know what the colonial effect is, Edge.”  She wasn’t about to play his childish games.  “Oh sorry, did I deny you the opportunity for a long-winded speech about unintended consequences so that you could pretend you’re better than the rest of us?”

“Yes well, Lena, crassness aside, this is on you.  You wanted to be a hero so bad, ya didn’t care who you hurt.  And now people are going to die.”

"You’re a toxic predator.”  Lena couldn’t keep the venom out of her voice, even while keeping control over its volume.  Fortunately, Kara jumped in to defend her.

“Even if this were all true, Supergirl and a team of federal agents worked with Lena on that device.  They would be just as much to blame—you can’t pin this all on her.”

Edge’s cold eyes danced with menace and faked mirth.    “That’s the official story, sure, but that tech was **_all_** Luthor.”

“You’re a bottom-feeder.”

“But I didn’t poison children.  That was all you.”  As he turned and walked off, Lena couldn’t move.  _What if he was right?  It was Lex’s design.  She had barely had a few hours to redesign and appropriate it for their purposes, even with all of Winn’s help.  What if she had miscalculated?  What if it really wasn’t as safe for humans as she had thought?_

She could feel Kara’s arm around her, turning her back towards where the children were being treated.  Her whole body felt tight, rigid.  She thought Kara and Sam were talking, but she couldn’t even try to pay attention.  She did her best to turn her attention to the children, to see how she could help, but even still, she couldn’t stop the wave of depression from watching over her.  _I might’ve caused all this._

~~~~

Sam was worried about Lena.  She had never seen her so shell-shocked as last night at the hospital, and she didn’t look much better this morning.  They were meeting in Lena’s office to formulate a plan for dealing with Edge’s accusations.  Kara had just walked in to join them, and Lena had barely registered her appearance, offering a quiet hello and a chaste kiss on the cheek without ever actually changing her expression.  Sam could tell just from looking at Kara that she was just as worried.

“So, Snapper and Ms. Grant are refusing to let me cover this.  They don’t think I can be objective.  Just expect that you’ll have Brad Groves trying to contact you for quotes.  But that just means that I’m here for you, whatever you need.  Full on girlfriend mode.”

Lena barely acknowledged her.  Sam stepped up to face her, placing a hand on each arm.  “There could be hundreds of possible explanations for why these kids are getting sick.  Edge is ruthless, Lena, you know that. He’s—”

Kara interrupted her, appearing from where she had been standing behind Sam.  “He’s manipulating people, to get revenge on me.  This is on me, not you, sweetie.  This is because of my article.”  Sam felt a pang of sadness for Kara, who was clearly feeling guilty about all of this.  It wasn’t her fault either—this was on Edge.

Suddenly Lena awoke and shouted, “But what if it’s true?!  Okay?”  She paused, her eyes wide and darting between Sam and Kara.  “I told y—Supergirl that I could adapt this device, but I only had so much time to do it.  It was a difficult project, and my head was absolutely not in the best place right then, between things with my mother and Gen— ** _Rhea_**.”  Lena practically spat the name.  “I thought it was safe for humans, but if it wasn’t?  What if I miscalculated?”

Sam leaned in, trying to reassure her increasingly erratic friend.  “If you hadn’t been able to adapt the device, if you hadn’t used it, the Daxamites might’ve killed or enslaved everyone.  You saved all of us.”

“Maybe.”  Lena’s head dropped, the fight leaving her again.  “You’re at least right that we don’t know anything yet.  And that we can’t just take Edge’s word for it.  We’re going to go over all the information he claims to have, and L-Corp is already running tests on the device to try to determine one way or the other whether it could have been the cause of this.  Sam, we’ll work with the NCPD on this, whatever they need.  We have **_nothing_** to hide, okay?”

“I think Maggie is taking point on this, since it falls into the Science Division’s purview.  So, we at least know that the NCPD side of the investigation won’t be manipulated by Edge.”  _Bless you Kara, and your sister’s girlfriend._

“That’s great news!  Really encouraging.”  She smiled at Kara before turning back to Lena.  “Now, **_you_** just have to keep your head up.  We believe in you.”

Lena didn’t respond this time, and Sam could see her putting up walls again, retreating within herself.  She broke free of Sam’s touch and began walking back towards her desk.  “I’ve got to get ahead of this, if possible.  This is a public crisis.  I’m stepping back from L-Corp while this investigation is ongoing—Sam, you’ll be in charge.”

Sam shook her head as she stepped up to the desk, trying to keep her blossoming frustration under control.  “Lena, no.  We need you.  We need you to help with the research, at least.”  She was terrified of what Lena might do with nothing but free time to dwell on her feelings of guilt.  Her mind needed to be focused on something productive.

“Sam, I’ve hired good people here.  Brilliant minds.  They’re more than capable of picking apart what Winn and I did with the device and resolving the scientific and technological questions at issue here.  If I’m involved, I could be accused of, of covering things up, or even profiting from the sick.  This **_cannot_** be about me, and we **_cannot_** give the people of National City any further reason to doubt our integrity or their own safety.  Helping people has to be the focus.”

They were interrupted by shouting outside the office.  The three of them rushed to the door, with Kara positioning herself protectively in front of Lena and Sam.  There was a man outside the office yelling at Jess that he needed to see Lena Luthor.  The assistant ( _or bodyguard_ ) was adeptly keeping him back from the office and trying to convince him to leave.  The man’s eyes narrowed as he recognized Lena.

“It’s okay, Jess.”  Lena stepped closer to the man.  Sam could tell that both Jess and Kara were standing at attention, seemingly ready to spring into action if the man made any move towards violence. 

“You need to answer for my son!  You know he stopped breathin’?  They had to put a tube down his throat.  My boy is 12 years old.  He is supposed to be laughing, outside playing, not stuck in some hospital with the doctors telling me they don't know how to fix him.”  His voice was thick with emotion, loud but not yet to the level of screaming.  “You rich people, you think you can do whatever you want, that we don't matter.”

Lena didn’t respond.  She just stood there, listening.  Sam knew her well enough to know that she had convinced herself she deserved this verbal abuse.  Lena looked down slightly, trying to keep tears from falling from her obviously watery eyes. 

“My son **_matters_** ,” the man insisted.

Lena’s response was so quiet, so tentative.  “I am sorry.”

He immediately blew up at her, yelling, “You're sorry?!”  Kara stepped protectively in front of Lena.  Jess grabbed his arm and began pulling him back as a security guard came forward to help her.  But the man kept shouting.  “You're gonna answer for what you did to my son!  For what you did to all of them!”  The security guard then removed him, under Jess’ watchful eye.

Lena was still standing, but her whole body had collapsed.  Sam had seen a lot of sides from Lena, but this was a new side to her.  She looked hollowed out.  Kara moved to hug her, but she stepped away from the contact and turned to Jess.  “I want you to coordinate a press conference outside in the plaza, as soon as possible.”

“Yes ma’am.”  Jess sat back down behind her desk and picked up the phone.  Kara and Sam led Lena back into her office.

“Lena, you can’t hold a press conference, especially not outside.  There are bound to be more angry people just like this guy out there.  What if one of them gets violent?”  Sam could tell that Kara was terrified for Lena, but it was equally obvious that Lena’s walls were fully up now.  Sam wasn’t sure that even Kara could break through right now.

 _Fuck Morgan Edge._ Sam felt a surge of hatred flow through her.  Two of the best people she knew were sitting here consumed with guilt over something neither of them likely had anything to do with, all because Kara had the temerity to point out how awful this douchebag’s hiring policies were. 

Lena had walked over and dropped herself onto the couch.  Sam pulled Kara back towards the door, speaking softly.  “Kara, you’re not going to get through to her.”

Kara glared, then her eyes softened.  “I know, but I can’t just be quiet about it either.  I won’t let her get hurt because I made an enemy.  He’s going after her because she’s my girlfriend.”

“Baby girl, I’m sure it is more complicated than that.  But you need to get it through your thick skull—you both do!—that this **_is not your fault_**.  This is on Edge.  So stop it with the guilt.  We’ll get him.  For now, why don’t you and Lena go to her private bedroom down the hall and try to calm down a bit.  Let her prep for this press conference.  I’ll come get you both when it’s time.”

Kara pondered that for a few seconds.  “No, you should stay with her.  I’m going to go see if I can get Maggie to coordinate a few plain-clothes officers at the press conference.  If I can’t stop Lena from doing this, I can damn well do whatever it takes to make sure she’s safe.”

“Okay, you’re right.  That’s a good plan.  I’ll text you the time of the press conference.  Even if you can’t officially attend as Kara Danvers, reporter, you should be there for moral support as Kara Danvers, girlfriend.”

“Thanks, Sam.”  Kara pulled her into a warm hug, and Sam was momentarily distracted by just how firm Kara’s arms felt.  Then she was walking over to Lena to explain where she was going.  As the blonde left the office, Sam went to go sit down beside her best friend.

“I can’t talk you out of this, can I?”  Sam looked into Lena’s eyes hopefully, despite knowing it was a foolish hope.  The brilliant green eyes were distant, unfocused.  Lena lifted an eyebrow slightly and shook her head.

“I figured.”  Sam did some mental calculations and elected to give humour a shot.  “You know that girl fucking loves you right?  I mean, I know that Jess is your secret bodyguard and everything, but Kara looked like she was about ready to tackle that guy and kick his ass if he got any closer to you.”  She thought she saw a tiny smirk, but couldn’t be sure.  So, she went on.

The press conference was set for an hour later.  In that time, Sam continued to make jokes about Kara’s insanely buff arms and Jess’ imagined background as a Navy SEAL.  Lena never really engaged, but she did come out of her shell enough to prepare some remarks.  Kara didn’t return or respond to Sam’s text about the time of the conference.

As they headed downstairs, Sam tried to give Kara a call.  She trusted that she would show up but was worried about the radio silence.  Kara didn’t answer.  They were met outside by an angry mob, looking for a scapegoat to bear all of their pain and fear.  Security led them to the podium, and Sam scouted the crowd for Kara’s telltale blonde ponytail.  She thought she saw Maggie and Alex moving around, casing the crowd, but Kara was still nowhere to be seen.  _Bizarre._

And then Lena was giving her speech, as well as she could with the interruptions from the crowd.  Sam could tell that she was trying to project some semblance of control over herself, to give the people some form of reassurance.  But anyone who really knew Lena ( _so like … pretty much just me and Kara_ ) could see that she was barely holding it together up there. The slight quaver in her voice as she poured her heart out about how hard she had worked to earn the faith of the people of National City.  The brief pause before she confessed that it broke her heart to think that she might have lost that faith.

Lena was just in the process of explaining that she would be stepping down until the investigation was complete when gunshots rang out.  Everything was suddenly a blur.  Sam was the only other person near Lena’s podium, and she dropped to the floor. The shots had already ceased as she looked up towards the podium. Lena was gone.  Sam pushed herself up onto her knees and looked around.  Supergirl had Lena in her arms, and it looked like Maggie was arresting someone.  As additional police came into the area, Supergirl flew off with Lena.  Assured that her friend was safe, Sam assessed herself.  She wasn’t in any pain, and she didn’t see any blood.  _Good.  Guess I didn’t get shot._

She tried to find Maggie or Alex, but they had apparently already left, probably with the shooter.  So instead, she texted Lena.

**Looks like you have a guardian angel.  Call me NOW.**

Sam also texted Kara to ask her again where she was and to let her know that Lena was safe.  She couldn’t believe that Kara hadn’t shown up.  And it was beyond lucky that Supergirl had miraculously appeared in time to save Lena.  None of it added up.  But before she could give it more thought, her phone rang.

“Lena!  That god you’re okay.  Where are you?”

There was a brief moment of silence before Lena answered.  She sounded like she had been crying.  “I … I’m safe.  Are **_you_** okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.  Lena, you need to lay low right now.  Where are you?  Can you meet me at my place?” 

There was another pause, then Lena told her that she could be there in five minutes.  “Okay, I’m heading there now—it’ll be probably about fifteen minutes from my end.  You have a key, just go ahead and go inside.  Ruby won’t be home from school for another couple of hours.”

“Okay.  See you soon.”  Lena hung up, and Sam took off towards the parking garage.  She hurried to her SUV as fast as she could and navigated the short but traffic-heavy drive back to her townhouse just west of downtown.  Her chest was tight with worry the entire drive back, and she shouted Lena’s name the minute she walked through the door.

Sam found her in the kitchen.  Lena had apparently found time to change, as she was now wearing her favourite grey National City University sweatshirt that Sam was pretty sure used to belong to Kara.  Lena’s hair was pulled up into a bun, and she had the sleeves of the sweatshirt pulled up around her elbows.  For some reason, Sam’s eyes caught on the baby hairs on the nape of Lena’s neck, that hadn’t been long enough to be pulled into the bun.  Lena looked so fragile, so innocent, and Sam thanked all the gods that might be out there that she was safe.  But she also looked completely disoriented, staring off into space before she registered Sam’s presence.

The two ran to each other and hugged tightly.  Sam was reluctant to let her friend go, and it felt as though Lena shared the sentiment.  So, they just held each other, glad to be alive.  Eventually, Lena pulled away.  She walked a few steps, then halted and turned halfway back to Sam.  She looked around, as if just noticing where she was, and then she gazed distractedly at her hand as she said, “Someone just … someone just tried to kill me.  I shouldn’t be putting you and Ruby in danger.”

It was just like Lena to be worrying about her and Ruby right now.  Sam’s heart was heavy with love and concern for this beautiful woman.  “Maggie arrested the shooter.  Besides, no one will be looking for you here.  You’re safe.  Now, please drink some water.”  Sam held out the glass she had pulled from the cabinet and filled up at the fridge expectantly. 

Lena took the glass of water, but not without protesting, “You could have been **_shot_**!—” her voice broke over the word, “—You shouldn’t be hiding me.” 

“Lee.  **_Jesus fucking Christ_**.  You’re my best friend.  The person I love most in this world other than Ruby.  **_Of course_** I’m going to protect you.  I’m not taking no for an answer.”  Their eyes met, and Sam could see the resignation visibly wash over Lena as her body relaxed just a little.  So, she decided to push a little.  “I don’t want to worry you any further, but have you heard from Kara?  She completely fell off my radar after she left your office.  Is she okay?”

Lena startled, then collected herself.  Sam wasn’t sure how to interpret that.  “Yes, she texted me before the press conference.  And she was the first person I called after Supergirl flew me away.”  She paused to give Sam a tiny smirk, which would have been a good sign if her eyes weren’t still so haunted.  “You were the second, of course.”

“Okay, but where has she been?  Why wasn’t she there?  Why isn’t she here now?”  None of Kara’s behaviour made sense to Sam.  If Lena was her girlfriend, she wouldn’t leave her side right now.  She didn’t enjoy feeling like this, but she was pretty pissed at Kara for disappearing.

“Sam.  Don’t go there.  She was with Alex and Winn during the press conference, trying to work through the documentation on the children affected by the lead poisoning.  She can’t just sit around while I mope—Kara has to **_do_** something, and it’s killing her that Snapper took her off the story.  Plus, I think she feels guilty about Edge, and she’s extra motivated to fix this.”

Sam could’ve sworn she saw Alex at the press conference, and it still made no sense to her that proving Lena’s innocence would take priority over physically being here for her right now.  But for Lena’s sake, she dropped it.  “Fine.  But she should be here.  Please, tell her to come soon.  I need to go back to L-Corp, keep things running and check on the progress of our scientists with your device.  I don’t want you to be alone.”

“Okay.  I’ll let her know.”  Kara responded almost immediately to Lena’s text, which again was odd, since she had been ignoring Sam’s for several hours now.  But she agreed to come over ASAP.  Lena insisted that she would be fine on her own for a few minutes, and Sam reluctantly decided to go ahead and leave.  They hugged again, and Sam pulled away just far enough to gaze into Lena’s eyes, their arms still wrapped around each other.

“I love you.  So so much.  You don’t deserve any of this.  And we’re gonna make it through.  I believe in you.  Don’t let Edge get to you.”  Lena nodded almost imperceptibly, and Sam kissed her forehead.  “Let me know when Kara gets here, or I’ll worry.”  With Lena’s promise that she would do so, Sam turned and walked out the door.

~~~~

It took Kara over an hour to make her way back to Sam’s place.  She wouldn’t leave the police station until Maggie could tell her for sure that the shooter was just an angry parent, and not someone hired by Edge or even Lillian or Lex.  Kara wasn’t ruling anything out at this point, not with Lena’s life on the line.  But there was nothing. 

Then Winn had insisted that she come to the DEO.  He was taking this almost as hard as Kara and Lena were, since he had worked with Lena on the device.  He was motivated to prove that they were not the cause of the children getting sick.  L-Corp had possession of the device, and there was no way to release it into the DEO’s custody.  But Winn had hacked into their servers to monitor the progress of the testing and investigation at L-Corp.  Kara knew that Lena wouldn’t mind, so she didn’t give him any grief about the hacking.  From what he told her—what she understood of it anyway, she wasn’t as fluent in tech talk as Winn and Lena—there was something like a ten percent chance that the lead dispersal device was the cause of the outbreak.  Which was promising, but Kara wasn’t comfortable with that.  Ten percent was still enough that the public could blame Lena.  She needed to be sure.  One hundred percent.

As she flew over to Sam’s, she wished she had more information, better news for Lena.  She hated that she had been away even for a couple of hours, but she needed to be there for the shooter’s interrogation.  Supergirl’s mere presence really helped sometimes.  She looked around to be sure no one was watching before she touched down on Sam’s front porch, changing quickly before opening the door.  Everything looked much the same as when she had dropped Lena off.  She hadn’t really moved from the kitchen area and was still wearing the sweatshirt and black leggings she had changed into on the brief pit stop at Kara’s after the left the scene of the shooting.

The difference was that her hair was down now, a thick, dark cloud framing her face and shoulders.  Also, she had a full glass of wine in her hand.  Lena had already drank most of the bottle in front of her.  Lena didn’t move from the stool where she was seated, but turned her head back to look over at Kara as she entered the room.  Kara asked, “Are you here alone?  Where’s Ruby?”

Lena’s response came out slowly, words slurring noticeably.  “Yup.  Sam’s running my company.  Ruby’s at a friend’s.”  She paused to survey her wine glass before taking another sip. 

“I really wish you would come home with me.  I’d rather have you in my bed than sleeping on that couch while I hover over the house all night.”

“Yes well, I can’t exactly explain that to Sam.  She made it very clear that she would kill me herself if I left this house, so here I will stay.”  Kara frowned, but walked further into the room.  “What news from the front?”  Lena asked the question nonchalantly, as if this was all a joke.  Kara was instantly terrified.  She had seen Lena drunk before, but never like this.  She sat down on the stool next to her.

“Nothing yet.”  She left it at that, not wanting to elaborate and further darken Lena’s mood.  Unfortunately, drunk Lena was still as perceptive as ever.

Her eyes rolled over to face Kara, and they were glazed and foggy.  Lena raised her eyebrows and smiled sarcastically as she said, “You know, you’re terrible at hiding things from me.”

Kara did her best to lighten the mood but felt as though she was walking on eggshells.  “At some point you’re going to have to stop lording it over me that you figured out my secret identity almost immediately.”  She put a hand on Lena’s knee.  “We haven’t given up.  We’re not done, not by a long shot.  Until we know for sure, I will turn over **_every_** rock, ev—”

“Just stop,” Lena muttered, waving a hand at Kara in protest.  Her head was resting on her other hand, propped up from the surface of the kitchen island.  Lena looked defeated, and it broke Kara’s heart.

“You are the strongest person I know.  Why aren’t you fighting?!”  Kara couldn’t keep the frustration out of her voice.  She didn’t understand.  This wasn’t **_her_** Lena.

Lena’s posture remained lethargic, but her voice raised as she turned her head back towards Kara.  “Because I **_did it_**!” she snapped, the guilt on her face mixed with incredulity.  “I fucking did it,” she whispered again, as if confirming it.  “You know, all I ever wanted to be was good.”  Lena was mocking herself now, her voice full of sarcasm and self-hatred.  “My whole life I was a pariah.  First, I was never good enough for Lillian, never Luthor enough… always a reminder of my father’s infidelity.  Then my brother was arrested, and I was nothing **_but_** a goddamned Luthor, as far as the world was concerned.”

Lena took a breath, and Kara tried to move her hand from Lena’s knee to her back.  But she shrunk from the touch, and Kara felt as though her heart had fallen through the floor.   “Then I let in the Daxamites, opened the whole world up to an alien invasion.  Let myself be manipulated by the first mentor who came along and offered me the praise and affection my own mother always denied me.  And finally, I did one thing, **_one thing_** , that was good, and now I’m a monster who poisoned children.”  Lena chuckled darkly.  “Even Lex Luthor never did that.”

Kara was frozen.  She had no idea what Lena needed from her right now.  “Anyone who knows you knows that you would **_never_** —”

“Maybe I’m the same.”  Lena interrupted, continuing her train of thought.  Her voice was weaker now, starting to strain under the weight of her emotion.  “People are sick.  It’s my fault.”  Her voice nearly cracked.

“Lena!  There’s still a chance it wasn’t you.” 

“I know that you … believe … that … everything is good, and kind.  And **_that_** is one of the things that I love most about you.”  For the briefest moment, Lena’s face was pure adoration.  Then the sadness took hold again.  “But that’s not the real world.  In the real world, my name’s Luthor, and everything I do hurts people.”  She finished off the glass before adding, almost as an afterthought, “Hey!  You know, it's, it's in my DNA, okay?  So, **_please_** , just, just, just **stop**.”  Lena nearly broke into tears as she whispered ‘please,’ but she managed to keep going.  “Stop believing in me, okay?  I am **_not_** worth it.”  And then she did burst into tears, because Kara had set the wine glass down, wrapped her girlfriend up, and flown her over to the couch, where she was now holding her tightly.

Lena’s body was wracked with heavy sobs, and Kara held her tight despite a couple of attempts to free herself.  Maybe Lena didn’t believe she was deserving of love right now, but Kara was going to give it to her anyway.  She had no clue what to say, so she just held her.  Stroked her hair and let her soak the shoulder of Kara’s sweater. 

Kara had no idea how much time passed before the sobs slowed and the tears began to dry up.  But then Lena was asleep in her arms, tired out by the events of the day, the wine, and the sheer weight of her emotions.  Kara gently laid her head down on the pillow that had been left for her on the couch and got up slowly so as not to disturb her.  Lena’s face was red and blotchy from the crying, and there were dark smudges under her eyes from where her mascara had run.  She was still the most beautiful sight Kara had ever seen.  _I love her so much._

She hadn’t realize how much Lena was still weighed down by her issues with her mom and the things that had happened with Rhea leading up to the Daxamite invasion.  She thought Lena had finally worked through those issues, but clearly they had just as powerful a hold over Lena’s mind as ever.  For once in her life, Kara felt so powerless.  She could drop Edge on a boat in the middle of the ocean.  She could don her uniform and proclaim from the heavens how good and pure and remarkable Lena Luthor is.  She could shower Lena in all the love and adoration she was capable of.  But she had no idea how to fight this monster.  No idea how to protect Lena from herself.

She wrapped a blanket around the sleeping figure of her girlfriend, then leaned over and kissed Lena’s head as softly as possible.  “I love you so much,” she whispered.  “I’ll never give up on you.  Ever.”


	6. We make a pretty good team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Kara take the investigation into their own hands, but before they know it, they find themselves having to save Lena from herself (and Morgan Edge, of course).

** Chapter 6 **

It was late when Sam got home.  The first thing she saw when she walked in was Kara, sitting at the bar hunched over a laptop.  In the semi-darkness, the blonde looked so small, and Sam could see the worry written all over her.  Any previous frustration Sam had with Kara fell away.

“Hey,” she said, softly.  She continued walking into the room, turning to gaze down at the couch where Lena had passed out.  Sam heard Kara’s soft, “hey,” come from behind her, but Sam’s eyes stayed on her best friend.  Even in her sleep, Lena looked troubled, her brow her furrowed and her arm splayed out uncomfortably over her head, as if she had been tossing and turning.

“You know, I've known Lena a long time, and I've **_never_** seen her like this.”  Sam moved back to the kitchen and glanced towards Kara, whose focus was back on the screen of her laptop.

“Me either.”  Kara’s voice sounded haunted, scared.  “She wants everyone to think she's so tough.”

Sam was a little thrown by the tone of Kara’s voice, so she tried some levity.  “Yeah, but we both know she is mush on the inside.”  Sam pulled some papers from her bag and sat down next to Kara.  “Hey, if you wanna go home, get some sleep, I’ll be here for the rest of the night.”

Kara looked up, and while she smiled, it was a slight and sad smile.  Nothing like the beam of sunshine that would normally grace her gentle visage.  “No, that’s okay.  I’m not gonna be able to sleep tonight anyway.  I’m worried about bad dreams.”

Sam froze, images springing into her mind unbidden. 

_Her face and body suddenly covered in dark symbols..._

_Feeling suddenly so very dark, as if she was an entirely different person..._

_A cloaked figure standing over her, talking about the day coming soon, when she would reign..._

_The absolute terror that seized her as she screamed out…_

Sam shook her head, trying to shrug the memory of the nightmare off—she needed to focus on Lena right now.  Kara was watching her with nothing but concern in those bright blue eyes.  Sam explained, “Nightmares are a thing I’m familiar with, especially lately.  Don’t worry about it.  So, what are you working on.”

“I've just … been trying to skim through public records to get info on the families affected.”

“Oh! Maybe I can help with that.”  Sam reached over and opened her own laptop, pulling up a map of the city.  “The medical team at L-Corp was able to secure the addresses for all the sick children.”

Kara perked up a little, leaning in closer to Sam so she could look.  “So, what happens when you connect the Xs?”

Sam sighed.  “Nothing, the movies lie.” She glanced back at Kara, who was studying the map intently.  Only a few inches of space separated them.  “You would think, when something like this happens, those affected are from a specific area, but these kids are from all over the city.  Ruby’s friend Luke lives down the street from us.  But then there are two kids who live—” she pointed at the map, “—across the city and go to Burgon Country Day.  And then there's another one who lives all the way in Edgemont.  I’ve just … been staring at this, trying to make sense of it.”  She shook her head in frustration, fearing that it was another dead end.

Kara’s face scrunched up, and Sam couldn’t avoid how adorable it was.  “There's gotta be some way these kids are connected.  Social media, school records, bank statements, maybe there's a link?”

 _Now there’s an idea._   “Bank statements.  Let's follow the money.”

“Yes!  I'll make a call.”  Kara pulled out her phone, but Sam put a hand on her arm to stop her.  Kara’s skin was warmer than Sam expected.

“No need.  I'm on it.”  Sam typed away at her laptop for a few minutes, then turned the screen towards Kara.  “Tada!”

“How did you?” Kara let out a sharp breath then giggled warmly.  “I can see why Lena is so effusive about your skills.”

Sam winked at her playfully.  Kara leaned in again, searching the bank accounts on Sam’s computer.  Then she pointed at the screen.  “Delaney's Dumpling Truck.”

She shot Kara a quizzical look.  “A food truck? What about it?”

“Well, Luke's dad and another mom went there on the same day a couple of weeks ago, October 21st.  I don’t know, maybe … maybe it’s just coincidence?”

Then Sam noticed it.  “No.  Hold on.”  She pulled up other accounts, going through several of them before reaching her conclusion.  Kara realized it nearly at the same time.

“They were all there, on that same day.” 

There were totally on the same page now.  Sam turned to smile at Kara and tensed in surprise.  She had forgotten how close Kara was sitting, and their noses had nearly touched when Sam turned her head.  Her eyes widened, but she immediately turned back to focus on the screen.  She had no idea if the moment had registered with Kara.  “Could it be something in the food?” She did a quick Google search that brought up a flier for a food truck promotion on October 21.  “Oktoberfest at Frances Park.”

“Could be something there.”  Sam thought Kara’s voice sounded slightly different, but she could be imagining it.  “You wanna check it out?  Lena drank a whole bottle of wine—I doubt she’ll be up any time soon.”

“Definitely.  I’m driving.”  Kara got up and checked on Lena one last time, wrapping the blanket tighter around her.  Then she followed Sam closely out the door. 

There was a good five minutes of silence as they drove towards Frances Park.  When Sam would glance over at Kara, she seemed lost in her thoughts.  Then suddenly, she whispered, “I’m scared I’m losing her.”

Sam was driving, so she couldn’t react as strongly as she wanted to.  Kara sounded broken.  Lost.  She hadn’t known her for all that long yet, but still, it felt impossible—wrong, even—that Kara Danvers could sound this way.  This wouldn’t do.  Not at all.

“Hey!  Look at me, Blondie.”  Sam kept her eyes on the road but waited until she saw Kara’s chin rise and turn in her periphery.  She looked over just long enough to catch those gorgeous, but now infinitely sad, sapphire eyes and hold them with her own for a few seconds.  “You’re not going to lose her.  **_We’re_** not going to lose her.  Lena has survived a hellish childhood, an oppressive workplace for several years, Lex’s betrayal, multiple attempts on her life, the shit her mother keeps putting her through, and whatever the hell happened with that Daxamite bitch.  It’s amazing she’s been as strong as she has been—there’s only so much a person can go through before they break.”

She could hear Kara’s sniffles next to her, and she reached out her hand, taking Kara’s.  “But hey, she’ll heal.  Sometimes a person needs to break, needs to hit rock bottom, before they can really face their demons and start to grow.  We’ll figure this out.  And then we’ll be there for Lena.”

“Sam.  I know how difficult it is for her.  Those walls were so hard to get past—her trust issues run so deep.  She once told me that you, me, and Lex are the only people she’s ever really trusted.  We’re the only people she’s ever just allowed herself to be completely herself around.  And one of us completely betrayed that trust.  One of the three has tried to kill her multiple times.  I can’t even fathom that.”  Kara was crying now, softly.  “But she got past it.  She didn’t let Lex destroy her.  Lena is the strongest person I know—if Alex went crazy, tried to commit murder, tried to kill me—I would fall apart completely.  I’m not sure anyone could put me back together.  But not Lena.” 

She went quiet, but Sam had a feeling she wasn’t done yet.  She held onto Kara’s hand that much tighter, until she could speak again.  When she did, her voice was hollow.  “I guess … I just … I thought she was unbreakable.  I could tell something shifted again after Rhea.  But still, she continued growing, making friends, letting Maggie and Winn in slowly.  Even Alex!  I knew she was struggling, but she kept trying.  Should I have done more?”

“Kara.  Sweetie, no.  This isn’t on you.  I’ve been worried about her, too.  But you know how she is.  She was determined to fight this in her own way, on her own, and this was … I don’t know, the final straw.  I see how much you love her, how well you treat her.  Like I said, I’ve known Lena **_a long time_**.  And I’ve never seen her this happy before.  This comfortable in her own skin.  That’s you.  You’re a remarkable person, Kara Danvers, and I have a feeling you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to our girl.”

Kara cried a little louder, but Sam hoped these tears were a little happier, at least.  She pulled to a stop near the park and turned to the beautiful crying woman in her passenger seat.  She had taken off her glasses once she started crying, resting them in her lap, and Sam marveled at how different her face looked without them, bolder and more vivid.  Yet somehow oddly familiar for a reason Sam couldn’t quite place.  Kara turned to face her as well, and Sam took her other hand so that she had a firm grip on both.  “We’re going to get her through this.  We’re going to get **_each other_** through this.  I can’t promise everything will be okay, but I can promise we’re in this together.  I’m not going anywhere, and I promise Lena isn’t either, okay?”

Kara’s lips parted and spread into a small smile.  It was a tiny difference, but a lovely one.  Sam reached up and gently wiped a tear from her cheek with her thumb.  “Now, how about we find out what the deal was with this park?”  Kara nodded and squeezed Sam’s hand before turning to exit the SUV.  Sam paused just a moment before doing the same.  She felt like a spark had danced from Kara’s hand to her own just then.  _Later, Sam.  Control yourself.  You can fawn over Lena’s girlfriend after we’ve saved Lena._

Sam surveyed the park.  It was huge, with various rides, amusements, and small shops and food trucks, plus a natatorium and a roller rink.  They began walking, side by side, down the sidewalk towards the natatorium.  Kara had calmed down and was walking with some measure of purpose, but her arms were still crossed and her voice still frustrated as she said, “So many vendors and rides out here, it could have been anything.  For all we know, it's gone.”

A thought struck her as her eyes took in the large stone and plastic sign for the natatorium.  “Unless it wasn't something outside.”  She nodded her head towards the building, and they walked up to a side door.  Sam tried to open it, but it wouldn’t budge.  “It’s locked,” she hissed, then turned to check the next few doors along the side of the building, hoping to get lucky.  She heard a strange noise behind her, almost like the sound aluminum makes when you crinkle it in your hand.  Turning, she saw that Kara had the door open.

“Uh.  Sticky hinge.”  Kara was already walking inside, so she couldn’t see the look of pure incredulity Sam shot at the back of her head.  As she followed, she noticed that the metal panel over the lock between the two doors was crumpled.  _Okay then._   She caught up to Kara, walking the length of the pool, but before she could comment on the … unusual … method of entry, Kara began reminiscing.

“Eliza used to bring me to a place like this.” 

“Eliza?  That’s your adopted mom, right?” 

 “Yeah, she’d take me every Tuesday and Thursday.  Alex never joined us—she preferred the ocean to the pool.”

Sam smiled wistfully.  “My mom used to take me to the pool too, at least when I was younger.  Except my place was, uh, Mondays and Wednesdays.  Shit, we used to **_love_** swimming.  Every kid loves swimming.”  She tilted her head to look into Kara’s eyes teasingly.  “Well, except **_Alex_** apparently.”

But Kara had stopped, staring out distractedly at the pool.  She pulled down her glasses just slightly, looking over the top of them with narrowed eyes.  Then she pushed them back up her nose, leaving her hand on her chin pensively.  “I'm gonna test the pool.”

Sam found herself again looking at Kara quizzically, only to have Kara miss it as she knelt down by the pool, grasping for something in her bag.  “You're gonna **_test_** it?”

Kara turned her head to look back at Sam and explained, “You remember Winn, right?  He works with Alex at the DEO?”  Sam nodded, thinking of the fun little nerdy guy from the game night.  “Well he used to work at CatCo, and he still helps me on stories sometimes.  Tests stuff, lab work—that sorta thing.”

“That's a good friend to have,” Sam offered, her curiosity not entirely satiated.  Kara swept a small black wand-like device through the water, then pulled out her phone and plugged the device in before dialing a contact.  Sam didn’t realize she meant they were doing this here, on the spot.  Why is Winn still at work this late?  Did that device just transfer all the relevant data directly to the DEO?  Sam didn’t realize that the DEO had tech like that, much less that they just freely loaned it out to reporters on a ‘just in case I need to do some testing on the fly’ basis.  As was becoming a pattern with Kara, there was something deeper going on here that Sam wasn’t in on.

“Winn?” She paused for his answer.  “I'm gonna send you a water sample from a public pool.”  If Winn was taken aback by the randomness of Kara’s statement, it didn’t show on Kara’s face at all.  She stood as she explained that she had a hunch about the water maybe being contaminated.  She waited while Winn apparently ran some tests.

“Is it lead?”  Winn’s response was loud enough that Sam could hear it, even if she couldn’t make out the words.  Kara asked, her voice raising a little, “What?”  There was more speaking from the other side, then Kara asked, “What does that mean?”  As Winn explained, Kara’s body somehow simultaneously relaxed in relief **_and_** tightened in excitement.  _Good news, then._   “So, it wasn't the dispersal device.”  A statement, not a question.  Sam placed a hand on her own chest, feeling the tension she had been carrying begin to loosen its hold over her.  Kara looked up at the ceiling and breathed an audible sigh of relief, then thanked Winn before hanging up.

Kara took a step closer, grabbing Sam’s arms excitedly.  “It wasn’t Lena.  Someone put a dangerous chemical in the pool, that combines with water to mimic the properties of lead.  With enough exposure, someone would show the exact same symptoms as lead poisoning.”

Sam’s brow furrowed as she looked back at the pool.  “How?”

“I—” Kara started to respond before her face crinkled in thought again, as she faced towards the far wall of the large room.  Then she grabbed Sam’s hand and said, “Come with me.”  They walked over to the large doors of a storage room set into the wall, and they opened on a large stack of maybe 40 or 50 dark blue plastic buckets with bright red lids.  The labels read “ACRE LEE CHEMICAL”

Kara pulled out her phone again, this time putting it on speaker.  It rang several times before Lena picked up.  “Hello?”  She sounded groggy and a little hung over.

“Lena?  Sam and I are at this pool and all the kids who got sick have been here.”

Still groggy, and now frustrated, Lena snapped, “I thought I told you to stop.”

“Creampuff, it wasn't you!”  _Creampuff?  Really, Kara?_   Sam was amazed by how quickly Kara’s entire demeanor had shifted.  The brightness, the joy, the optimism—they were all back.

“What?”  Lena’s voice was higher, clearly.

“There's a synthetic chemical … when it touches water it becomes toxic to the body.  It mimics the same symptoms as lead poisoning.”  Kara’s eyes were locked on Sam’s as she spoke, and they were as vivid a blue as Sam had ever seen.

“Well, how … how did it get in the swimming pool?”

“It's in the chlorine containers!  They've been using it instead of chlorine.  Sam and I are gonna try to track down the manufacturer.  Acre Lee Chemical.”

“Acre Lee Chemical?”

“Yeah, you know it?”  Sam and Kara exchanged a look.

“No,” Lena responded, then she repeated the denial much more quietly.  “No.  … Thank you.  Both of you.”

“Lena, please don’t—” Sam began to speak, but Lena hung up.

“Shit.” 

“Yeah, that name definitely meant something to her.  We have to get back there before she does something stupid.”  They nodded to each other, then rushed back to Sam’s SUV.

~~~~

At this time of night, there was no one really around—but at least the doors were still open.  As she rode the elevator to the top floor, she traced with her finger the smooth surfaces of the gun in the pocket of the olive-green moto jacket she had thrown on over her tank top.  It felt wrong to be wearing Kara’s sweatshirt while she did this. She had called a car service under an alias, and had it pick her up several blocks away from Sam’s townhouse.  She also had it drop her off several blocks away from her destination.

As she exited the elevator, she checked for security cameras.  Seeing none, she abandoned the baseball cap and sunglasses she had obscured her face with and stepped into Morgan Edge’s office.  She might still be a little drunk, but full-on unfeeling, calculating Luthor had taken over at this point.  She wasn’t an idiot.

The office was mostly dark, but Edge was seated at his desk.  He looked up as she entered.  ”Lena.  You look **_horrible_**.  Those sick kids really got you tied up in a knot, huh?”  She’d wipe that arrogant smirk off his face soon.  Lena was almost surprised at how little she felt right now.  She was numb to anything other that her cold intention.

She responded succinctly, “Acre Lee.”

“Acre what?”  He stood and walked around his desk as he feigned ignorance.  “Acre Lee … Acre Lee, that's where the coyote gets all the stuff that he's gonna use to kill the roadrunner from, right?”

 _That’s Acme you fucking idiot._ “It's a company you own.  I remembered it from due diligence before I invested in your buildings.” Her voice sounded sardonic and harsh, even in her own ears.  “Established in 1982.  Manufactures hydrogen gas and sodium hydroxide.  And **_also_** simple chlorine used for swimming pools.” She paused for emphasis.  “Acquired by Edge Global seven years ago.”

Edge had settled back onto the side of his desk.  The change in his face wasn’t obvious, but it was there.  He was shaken.  “I'd have to check my records, you know.”

 _Let me help you then, you sadistic little shit._ “You used it to poison kids in swimming pools in order to drag my name through the mud.”

He grinned, chuckling slightly.  But his eyes betrayed him—he knew he was caught.  “Come on.  That's it?  That's what you're bringing?  That's what you got?  I say you did it, you say I did it?” He stood up, moving into her bubble of personal space.  “I expected better out of you.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the pistol, aiming it right in his smug face.  Her expression never once changed.  Edge inhaled sharply, and the best he could respond with was, “Now that's a disappointment.”

Lena’s voice was monotonous now.  “When that mom shot at me, I knew she was doing the right thing.  Because whoever was responsible for this, they deserve to die.  No trial, no jury.  Just erased from the world.”

“You need help, Lena, cuz you're not, you're not thinking clearly.”

 _Aren’t I?_ “I'm thinking like a Luthor.”  _Whatever, I’m done with the speeches now.  This ends here._ She began to tighten her finger over the trigger, but in that instant, she felt a sharp pain to the back of her head.  Everything went black.

She was jostled awake by the feeling of the ground moving under her and a loud noise like a big engine.  She had no idea how much time had passed, but as she gained her bearings, she found herself strapped in to the wall of the large open tunnel of what she guessed was a cargo plane.  She unbuckled the straps and stood up, trying to shake off the disorientation she felt.  _Fuck, I hope I’m not concussed._   She walked over to a porthole across from her and looked out.  They were still in the National City area, as she could see downtown in the distance. 

She chided herself briefly for not noticing whoever had snuck up behind her and knocked her out.  Then she did the only sensible thing and pressed the panic button on the watch Kara had given her.  Confident that Supergirl would show up momentarily, she looked around, trying to figure out why Edge would have put her here.

Lena’s heart immediately sank when she discovered the rows of large yellow barrels marked with “ACRE LEE CHEMICAL.”  They were lined up at the back of the plane, right in front of the hangar door.  _Fuck._   Edge was going to poison even more people—the only thing she couldn’t quite figure out was whether he was going to try to pin it on her (unlikely) or just crash the plane once the chemicals were dropped into the bay, killing her in the process.  She wasn’t sure where they were headed, so she snuck towards the cockpit, only to find that the plane was being piloted remotely.  Looking out, she surveyed the geography to try to get a sense of where she was going.  That’s when she noticed the reservoir approaching.  _Fuck._

Not only did the reservoir provide water to thousands of homes, part of it was also partitioned off as a recreational area.  Cold Lena Luthor was gone now, replaced by the real Lena.  The one who was now deathly afraid for the lives of the people this plane was about to poison.  She heard a noise behind her, and as she rushed back towards the barrels, she saw the hangar door opening.  Then the plane began tilting ever so slightly upward. 

“No no no no no,” she shouted at no one in particular.  She rushed forward, grabbing a long metal pole nearby.  The barrels were all bound together on a pallet by thick straps.  She stuck the pole through a metal ring in a strap hanging off the barrels, driving it down into an indention in the floor of the plane.  Then she held it down with all the strength she could muster, praying that Kara got there soon.

Fortunately, her prayer was answered in mere seconds, as a red-blue blur shot through the hangar door and landed behind her.  “Lena!”  Supergirl surveyed the room, and then pulled the switch that operated the hangar door, closing it.  Lena smiled brighter than she had in days.

She rushed towards Kara to hug her but was tossed back against the wall as the plane took a step downward dive.  “Kara!  The barrels are treated to dissolve in water!  If the plane crashes, they'll poison everyone.”

Kara responded immediately, stepping over to the front-center of the plane—Lena assumed it was more or less right between the wings.  Then she flew up to the ceiling and began pushing on the top of the plane, trying to force it back up from its steep angle.  She shouted to Lena, “Strap in!”

Lena could see the strain coursing through Supergirl’s body as the plane’s descent slowed, but didn’t quite stop. 

“I'm hoping I can get them to blow the engines!” Kara grunted.  Lena wasn’t sure she could do that without breaking the plane apart, but she didn’t have any better idea.  If the engines blew without destroying the plane, Kara would have full control.  The plane shook as one of the engines blew, but then the plane began to creak as the metal above Kara’s hands began to crumple and crack.  Without warning, the plane shattered into two pieces where Kara had been pushing.

The force had unbuckled Lena’s strap, and she screamed as she fell back towards the cockpit.  The fall knocked her breath from her, and her whole body felt the force of the two sides of the plane struck each other.  Supergirl had caught the inside edge of both pieces, but Lena could see the struggle of holding onto both threatening to break her.  Kara shouted down to her. “I can't hold both!”  Her voice was full of terror.

Lena realized why she needed to hold both—the chemicals were in the other section.  As the knowledge dawned on her, resignation washed over her.  Finally, it was over.  She could atone for her actions.  She hadn’t poisoned these kids, but she **_had_** brought the Daxamites.  She **_had_** turned a blind eye to the increasing depravity of her mother and brother when she was younger.  She knew what she had to do.  What **_Kara_** had to do.  “Save the chemicals!  Not me.”

She responded immediately and angrily.  “Lena, no!  I'm not gonna drop you!”  Meanwhile they were still dropping.  The wind roared all around them, but she knew Kara could hear her words.

“Kara, you have to let me go!”

“NO!” Kara redoubled her efforts, and their descent slowed significantly.  But again, it did not stop.  “Lena!  I can’t do this.  I can’t live without you!  I know you feel like you deserve this, but you don’t!  If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for me!  I LOVE YOU!”  She grunted, and it hurt Lena to see Kara in some much pain, both physical and emotional.  “Climb, Lena!  Climb!”

Lena felt paralyzed, trapped between the powerful forces at war in her heart.  Her guilt versus her love for Kara.  But as she looked up at the goddess who loved her, the choice became obvious.  It wasn’t even a choice at all—her body began moving.  She grabbed onto the netting of straps along the side of the wall and began to pull herself up towards her girlfriend’s powerful figure.

Kara shouted down encouragement, “You can do it!  Come on!” But Lena could hear the heaviness of her breath and the shrieking of the metal as the weight of the plane resisted her pull.  Lena’s whole body ached, and her arms felt like jelly.  “Come on!  Come on, you can do it!”  Their descent began to pick up speed again, and Kara shouted, “You have to jump, now!”

So Lena did.  She used all the energy she had left and threw herself upward toward Kara.  She immediately dropped that side of the plane and caught Lena with her newly freed hand.  The immediately began to move upward as Kara was relieved of the extra weight.

The exhaustion and emotion took over then.  Lena had no concept of what was going on around her, all she could focus on was the warmth and strength of Kara’s hand.  She had no idea how much time passed or what exactly Supergirl did with the broken plane full of dangerous chemicals.  But she never let go of her hand.

~~~~

When Kara and Sam had gotten back to Sam’s place, she had asked Sam to stay there in case Lena came back.  Kara went off to wake up Alex and Maggie and enlist their help in tracking down Lena, but she had barely even taken off when she got the signal from Lena’s panic button.  After saving her and leaving the husk of the plane with some DEO operatives, Kara had dropped Lena back off at Sam’s. Then she tore off at maximum speed towards the offices of Edge Global Realty.  She was driven by pure rage and disgust, and it was less than a minute before she blew through the window to his office.  Her eyes were hot with fury, and the unusually unflappable Morgan Edge cowered before her, however briefly.

Then she took a breath, shook off the heat in her eyes, and glared at him.  “Poisoning innocent children for your vendetta against Lena Luthor?  That’s even lower than I expected of you, Edge.”

He finished pouring himself a drink before turning to her, his usual slimy smirk on full display.  “You know, I sold Acre Lee Chemical over two years ago.”

“Convenient.”

“And besides, I heard they found the guy.”  It had only been a little over an hour—Edge must have planned to have a fall guy, just in case.  “Yeah … some crazed, lone wolf, former Marine or Air Force.  Had a bone to pick with the Luthors.”  He paused, gloating.  “It's too bad he killed himself.  We could have brought him to justice.”

“Hmm.”  She paused too, her voice filled with sarcasm and judgment.  “Too bad.”

“You know, I was thinking.  He must have really **_hated_** her.”  Edge emphasized the word, and it was clear to Kara that “he” actually meant Edge, not the man he no doubt murdered and framed for all this.  “Tell me, Supergirl, do you ever wonder what that feels like?  That kind of … **_hate_**?  Because I don't think you're capable of it.”

Kara got right in his face, and her voice was like steel.  “You have **_no_** idea what I am capable of.”

She was almost thrown off by his ability to keep his cool.  Very few people could do so in the face of an actually pissed off Kryptonian.  “Is this about me now?  You can’t have me arrested—you’ve got no evidence.  What are you gonna do, dump me on a cargo ship in the middle of the ocean?  What a hassle.  I don't know what kind of hippy-dippy justice you practiced on your planet, sweetheart, but this is the real world.”  It took all of Kara’s willpower not to uppercut him through the window.  “It's dog-eat-dog out here.  Now, if I had an enemy, I'd crush **_her_** without mercy.”  He paused, making it very clear which her he was talking about.  “Let's say, for instance, I was your enemy, hmm?  The thing for you to do right now would be to **_kill_** me.  But you capes, you don't have what it takes.  Do you?”

 _Nope_.  He pushed her too far, and she snapped.  She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and had him hanging out through the hole in his wall before he could blink.  The glass he dropped didn’t even have time to fall and shatter on the ground until several seconds after she completed the move.  To his credit, he didn’t shout, though she could tell that his breathing had quickened, and his heart rate had skyrocketed.

Still, it was only one single moment of weakness.  She pulled him back in and tossed him down on the floor.  Then she stood over him threateningly and warned, “Keep pushing, and we’ll see just what I’m capable of.”  As she turned to leave, he couldn’t resist trying to get in the last word, even though Kara was pretty sure he had pissed himself.

“Yeah yeah, you can leave the way you came in.  Oh!  Where should I send the bill for—” He gestured to the Supergirl-sized hole in his office wall, “—this?”

She didn’t even turn as she muttered, “Fuck off,” before propelling herself back out into the early morning air.

~~~~

Sam had texted Kara immediately after Supergirl left an exhausted and disoriented Lena at her doorstep.  It took her about twenty minutes to come back from wherever she was with Alex and Maggie, and in that time, Lena did her best to explain what had happened.  She said she had gone to Edge Global to confront him, and Sam did her best not to berate Lena for doing something so stupid. 

Lena had just finished explaining that she had somehow managed to get a signal out through a headset radio left in the empty cockpit and that Supergirl had flown to her rescue, when Kara rushed in through the front door.  She didn’t even stop to look around, rushing towards Lena on the couch as if she could just sense her presence.  Kara lifted her girlfriend in the air as if she weighed nothing and hugged her tightly.  Sam smiled warmly as the two of them just held each other for several minutes.  Lena whispered something in Kara’s ear, but Sam couldn’t tell what.

She poured the three of them a glass of red wine, deciding that despite the very late hour, they could all use it.  She settled down onto the couch, and she and Kara formed a big warm cuddle pile with Lena in the middle.  None of them were in any huge rush to keep talking, so they just enjoyed each other’s presence for several minutes.  Then Lena spoke up.

“I need to say thank you.  You wouldn’t let me give up on myself, even though I tried really hard to make you, both of you.”  Lena’s mood was improved, but she was still very obviously harbouring some guilt.

Sam changed the subject.  “Well, **_I_** think that Kara and I made a pretty good team.”

“Uhhh, more than **_pretty good_** , if I do say so myself.”  Kara raised her glass, and Sam clinked hers against it.  They caught each other’s eyes for the briefest of moments, and it sent a jolt of … something … through Sam’s body. 

Lena giggled at them but wasn’t willing to let go of her little speech.  “Still, I need to apologize.  I was so blinded by my own pain and guilt, I tried to throw everything away tonight.  I tried to push you both away.  I’m lucky either of you is even talking to me right now.”

Sam plucked the wine glass from Lena’s hand and placed it on the coffee table.  Then she intertwined her fingers with Lena’s.  She saw Kara do the same with Lena’s other hand.  “ ** _Lena_**.  We are **_family._**   We love you.”  She reached over with her other hand and thumped the exposed skin of Lena’s hand.  “You can’t get rid of us so easily.”

“Ow!” Lena yelped, before Kara jumped in.

“That’s right!  And while I have it on my mind—” Kara locked her eyes onto Lena’s, “— ** _you_** need a serious break for a little while, and speaking of family, I have an idea.”  Lena and Sam both looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to elaborate.  “Buuuuuuuuuut we can talk about it in the morning.”  Her eyes shifted to Sam.  “For now, I’m taking this one home and putting her to bed before you get her drunk again.”

Lena chuckled but didn’t argue, and Sam just shrugged in resignation.  It had been a very long day and as grateful as she was to be on this couch with these two amazing women, she couldn’t pretend she wasn’t ready to pass out herself.  “Okay, you promise you’re good to get her home?”  Sam wasn’t sure if Kara had driven or not.

“Yeah, I’ve got it!”  She didn’t elaborate, and Sam was too sleepy to press the issue.  She hugged Lena again, then kissed both ladies on the cheek as she saw them to the door.


	7. Midvale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena needs a vacation, and Kara has just the thing: a couples retreat to Midvale.

** Chapter 7 **

The sound of her phone ringing saved Sam from yet another nightmare, all darkness and violence.  Her heart was still pounding, and she was soaked in sweat.  She blinked her eyes and shook her head to clear the fog away.  The sun was warm behind the window curtains of her bedroom.  Pulling herself up to a seated position, she reached over to her nightstand and unplugged her phone from its charger cable.  10:57 a.m.

Sam hadn’t expected to get a call from Lena so soon—she’d figured that Lena and Kara would probably sleep until at least the early afternoon.  But no, here she was, calling her bright and early—ish.  Sam called her back.

“Good morning.”

“Hey you, how ya feelin’?”

“Hung over as fuck, you?”  Sam smiled—Lena sounded hangover, but jovial also.

“I confess, I figured you’d be sleeping for another several hours.”

“Yes well, I’m dating the human embodiment of the energizer bunny, so that wasn’t really an option.  I **_do_** actually have a reason for calling, though.”  _Oh?_ “You remember how Kara was saying last night that I need a break?”

“Yup!  I take it that she spilled the beans on what she had in mind?”

“She did indeed, and she has made it very clear that I have no freedom to say no.  She, Alex, and Maggie have all arranged to take the next week off, and the four of us are going to go visit Eliza in Midvale.  I know it’s completely last minute, but can I trust you to take care of my work at L-Corp while I’m gone?  I’ll make sure the Board is informed, and Jess will be able to help you with anything at all—but Kara’s right.  I need to get away for a while.  I’m terrified of the place I found myself last night… I can’t keep going on like this.  I need to figure some things out.”

“Lee, of course.  Of course.  Take whatever time you need.  Hell, I wish I could go along with you.”  _I’d love to see where Kara grew up.  Oh fuck me, come on Sam._   “I’ve got L-Corp.  In fact, I forbid you from taking any business calls while you’re in Midvale, okay?  Make sure the Board knows that, and that any pressing business should be taken up with me.”

“You always take such good care of me, darling.”

Sam couldn’t end the call without bring it up.  “Just … hey, can we talk when you get back?”

“Is something wrong, Sam?  I don’t have to go.  Not right away, anyway.”  Lena sounded concerned.  It was a relief that the cold edge was mostly gone from her voice again.

“No no no.  It can wait.  In fact, some time to think about what I wanted to say would probably be good.  You focus on rest and relaxation.  Seriously.”

“Okay.  If you’re sure.  Kara’s packing for me right now, and we’re flying out this afternoon.  I doubt we’ll be gone for more than a week, though.  You know how stir crazy I get.”

Sam chuckled.  “I do, indeed.  Such a workaholic.  But we’ve always had that in common, haven’t we?”  She paused.  “Hey, tell Kara I said thanks.  This is a great idea, and it makes me so happy how much she cares about you.”

Lena was silent for several seconds.  When she responded, she sounded a little surprised.  Or confused, maybe?  “Of course, Sam.  And I know you care about me too, okay?  We’ll talk when I get home, but please please don’t hesitate to call me in case of emergency.  Promise?”

“We’ll see.  I’m pretty great at emergencies.  You take care of yourself.  Love you, Lee.”

“Love you, too.  Bye.”

~~~~

The trip had been interesting, to say the least.  None of the other three ladies had ever flown on a private jet before.  Alex didn’t make much of it, but Maggie spent half the flight giving Lena shit for how rich she was.  She kept opening compartments and snooping around, claiming she was trying to figure out where they kept the caviar.  Lena had feigned exasperation, but secretly thought it was hilarious.  She had always thought the jet was overly pretentious, but hell if it wasn’t useful sometimes.

Kara, on the other hand, had complained more than once that the jet was far too slow.  “What even is the point of flying if you’re going to do it so slowly?  It’s so much more fun when you can feel the wind in your hair anyway.”

“Darling, loading you up with all our bags and the three of us in your arms would not only be highly uncomfortable, but conspicuous as hell.”  Kara’s face had scrunched up in that adorable way it did when she knew Lena was right but didn’t want to admit it.

But they had made it to Metropolis just fine, and then driven the hour to the coastal suburb of Midvale.  Eliza had welcomed them all with open arms, and Lena had to admit that the house where Kara had spent her teenage years was beyond adorable.  In fact, the whole town was quaint as hell.  Lena still felt the weight of everything they had left behind in National City, but she knew, deep in her gut, that this had been the right choice.

Now it was a couple of hours later, and it felt like she and Kara were completely alone in the world.  After eating a late dinner and catching up briefly with Eliza, Kara had insisted that she be able to take Lena for a starlit hike in the woods.  It was dark, but where the trees were so thick that they blocked out the moonlight, they used the flashlight apps on their phones to light the way.  For maybe thirty minutes, they simply made small talk and walked in silence, just enjoying each other’s company.  Then they were deep enough in the forest that it felt as though they had left civilization behind, and suddenly, Kara pulled her to a stop and led her over to a large smooth rock in a clearing awash with moonlight. 

Kara’s eyes sought permission, and as Lena nodded, Kara reached under her knees and around her back and lifted Lena into her arms, softly flying them into a comfortable seated position on top of the rock.  As they looked up, Lena was captivated by the ephemeral patch of dark starlit sky, framed by the shadowy patchwork of trees surrounding the clearing.  For several minutes, they just sat there, Kara’s hand on the small of Lena’s back, as the two of them took in the peaceful sights and sounds around them.

“Darling, this is gorgeous.”  Lena said it distractedly, still gazing in wonder at the tranquility of this place. 

Kara’s voice came softly from just behind her.  “This was my favourite place when I first arrived on Earth.  I would come here to escape the overwhelming sounds and smells and sights of human civilization.  To clear my head.”  Kara paused.  “It’s where I came when my sadness and loss became too overwhelming to keep hidden from the Danvers.  Where I came to remember my parents.  My people.  All that I had lost.”

Her voice broke, and her hand tensed against Lena’s back.  “I … Coming here, communing with the natural beauty of this world, gazing up to the sky where I came from… it always helped me, eventually.  I could always find peace here.  I hoped that maybe it could do the same for you.”

Lena faced her girlfriend and was stunned.  Kara’s dazzling sapphire eyes were replete with emotion.  Lena found herself lost in them.  _This entrancing, amazing goddess of a woman loves me so very much.  After everything I’ve done to keep her out, to scare her off and drive her away—and her response is to spirit me away to this beautiful place.  She is my protector.  She believes in me._

_So why can’t I believe in myself?_

The sobs overtook her before she could realize what was happening and just as quickly, Kara wrapped her up again.  Lena felt herself lifted into Kara’s arms again, and she cried against her shoulder for what felt like an eternity.  But Kara’s warmth encircled her, grounded her.  She needed this emotional release, but she never lost herself in it.  The two of them were together in this moment.  As she opened her eyes, she lifted her face so that the first thing she was the blue of Kara’s eyes again.  She smiled at Lena and kissed the remaining tears from her cheeks.

And that is when Lena noticed that they were hovering together in the air, just above the canopy of trees.  The night sky around them twinkled with the tiny sparks of the stars, but nothing compared to the glint of love in Kara’s eyes.  Despite the initial anxiety that leapt into her chest at realizing how high up she was, Lena laughed out loud.  Just as with her tears, she felt filled by the sudden wave of joy and pure ridiculousness. 

Kara waited until the laughter faded away, just gazing into Lena’s eyes curiously.  “So … you gonna tell me what’s so funny?”  Her voice was light and playful, and Lena grinned and kissed her, a light peck on her lips.

“I was so caught up in crying that I didn’t even realize you had carried me into the air.  How absurd is that?”  She giggled again, but Kara just looked at her like she was an adorable puppy doing something odd.  “Let’s sit back down, love, so we can talk.”  Kara smiled softly and nodded.  The descended slowly and Lena reached out and plucked a leaf from a branch on the way down. 

After Kara placed her back on her feet, Lena knelt down and curled her legs under her.  Kara sat nearby, facing Lena with her legs stretched out so that they just grazed Lena.   She had no idea where to even begin with the thoughts swirling around in her mind.  She took a deep breath, and nothing came to mind.  _Fuck it, I’ll just start talking and find my way into it._  

“So I … I’ve never told you this, but it’s something that has come up in a number of conversations with my therapist.  I wasn’t hiding it from you… exactly, but I just, I wanted to get a handle on it first.  I wanted to try to understand it, to own it, before I was willing to open up about it.”  Lena gulped.  “I was wrong about that.”

Lena placed her hand on Kara’s thigh, just above the knee.  She watched her hand as she drew soft circles on Kara’s warm skin, then looked back at her girlfriend.  Her partner.  “I love you so damn much, you know that?  I worry that I don’t tell you enough, and especially that I don’t show it enough.”

Kara made as if to protest, and Lena shushed her.  “No, love.  You have to let me say my piece now.  I’ve been trying to fight my demons on my own, to prove myself worthy of the love you show me every day.  Like … if I couldn’t figure my issues out on my own, I wasn’t good enough for you.  I think I see now how stupid that was.  How prideful.”  She stopped to collect her thoughts.  “You … you are my heart, Kara.  You reveal things to me that I never knew about myself.  You believe in me because you really see me—even though I keep trying to hide.  I should have realized a long time ago that if I truly want to grow as a person, to decipher what deep dark issues haunt me, I should have trusted you enough to let you in entirely.  I guess what I’m saying is that I trust your judgment, trust that you see me even when I can’t quite see myself.”

Now Kara’s eyes were the ones filling with tears, and Lena laughed before scolding her.  “Nope, not allowed.  You can’t start crying or I’ll start again, and we’ll be here all night.”

Kara laughed, grinning wildly at her.  “Oh, do you have somewhere to be Ms. Luthor?”

Lena grinned back at her, then pursed her lips and scrunched her nose in a look of faux admonishment.  Then Kara blinked rapidly, and her brow crinkled, as if struck by a sudden thought.  “So—what was it that you’ve been keeping from me?”

 _Keeping from her?  What—_ “The thing you’ve been discussing with Dr. Letamendi?” Kara clarified.  _Ohhhhh, right!_

“Oh that.  Yes.  I … I feel lost.”  Kara looked confused, so Lena tried to elaborate.  “Like … all the time.  In fact, I’ve felt lost my entire life.  Whatever moral compass or inner purpose that drives you, I feel like I’ve never had that.  Maybe it has something to do with losing my mom at such a young age and being dropped into the quagmire that was the Luthor family.  But … for as long as I can remember, I just haven’t really felt like I knew who I was supposed to be.  I’ve just always sort of … unquestioningly defined myself—my goals and expectations—based on external influences.”

She wanted to get Kara’s input, eventually, but she was on a roll now, so she kept going.  “The Luthors didn’t exactly envelop me in warmth and encouragement when they adopted me.  Lex tried, but he had his own things going on and his own struggle to meet our parents’ expectations.  Their world was so foreign to me as a child, and no one would tell me where I fit in.  And it certainly never felt as though I had the safe space to ask.  So, I kept my head down.  I tried to be like Lex.  I tried to pick up on what Lillian expected of me through context clues.  I was just … never encouraged to figure out who I was … and I, I guess I just molded myself into the best Luthor I could be.  Tried to never think too hard about it.  Ultimately, I could never tell if I was good enough, if I was who I was supposed to be.  But at least being a Luthor taught me how to project all the confidence and control I didn’t feel on the inside.”

“Lena?”  Kara asked tentatively, not wanting to interrupt without Lena’s permission.

“Thoughts, darling?”  Lena smiled brightly, welcoming the insight.

“That all makes so much sense to me.  You … there’s this look you would get sometimes.  In those rare moments when all your walls are completely down, and you do something or say something that is just so **_Lena_**.”  Kara’s voice warmed in adoration at her name.  _What is she talking about, though?  I feel the most lost in those moments, like the ground is suddenly gone from underneath me, and I have no idea if I can fly or not._ Kara’s eyes glittered as she blurted, “Yeah, kinda like **_that_** look!  It’s like when I recognize you at your most true self, you get all confused.  Like you don’t get how amazing and strong and stupid sexy you can be with all your walls down.”

Lena chuckled nervously.  What Kara said lined up some with the revelations Lena had been sorting through, but it was still really hard to believe.  “Kara … I really don’t know who I am without my walls—my Luthor identity and upbringing.  Even now, when I feel the most like myself, and I’ve found the most happiness and fulfillment I’ve ever experienced.  Even now, I’m still defining myself by my Luthorness.  I’m just—”

“Doing the opposite of what you were raised to!” Kara’s face immediately turned red.  Lena guessed she hadn’t meant to butt in like that.  She laughed affectionately.

“Yes, quite.  But love, I just … even if I have some idea now what the source of my identity crisis is, what my true struggle is underneath all the depression and mommy issues and unwillingness to trust people …  I don’t.  I don’t know.  What do I do about it?  How do I move forward?”

Kara reached her hands out, waiting for Lena to reciprocate.  Lena wrapped her fingers around Kara’s, squeezing softly.  “I don’t know the answer to that Lena.  But I’m here to help you figure that out, and I’m not going anywhere.  And it occurs to me that maybe you’ve never really asked the most important question: what do **_you_** want?  **_Who_** do you want to **_be_**?”

Lena smiled at her, then let go of her hands, leaning back on her forearms and gazing up at the sky.  She sighed, enjoying the coolness of the night air.  _Well.  It’s a start._


	8. Mothers and Daughters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Midvale retreat continues, and Lena bonds with Eliza. Meanwhile, Kara seeks Alex's advice on a complicated subject.

** Chapter 8 **

It had been a very lazy day.  Kara had no clue when the rest of the house got up, but she and Lena hadn’t left the combination guest room/office (that had formerly been Kara’s) until nearly 1 o’clock in the afternoon.  They had clearly both been exhausted still from the stress and late hours of the Edge plot, and they had barely removed their hiking boots and pants before collapsing in each other’s arms and passing out on the bed.  They must have slept nearly thirteen hours.

Alex and Maggie were out on the second-story deck, each already with a beer in hand.  They were sitting on the wicker loveseat, with Maggie curled up into Alex’s side.  Kara grinned at how cute they were together, but she and Lena kept walking downstairs.  As if she could sense the couple’s late rising, Eliza was in the kitchen, having already started making them some breakfast ( _for lunch_ , Kara quipped in her head). 

“Eliza, I know it’s already after noon, but could you point me to the coffee?”  Eliza scolded Lena to go sit down next to Kara, and she would handle it herself.

“You’ve been through so much, dear, you’re here to relax.  Now, do you prefer a darker or lighter roast?”  Lena timidly requested the darker as she moved back over to Kara.  This was her favourite version of Lena, dressed simply in pajama pants and a tank top, her hair in a messy ponytail, and with no makeup but the remnants of the eyeliner and mascara she was wearing when they passed out last night.  Just ambling awkwardly around Eliza’s kitchen trying not to be a burden.  Kara’s face ached slightly from how big her smile had become. 

As Lena caught sight of said smile, she rolled her eyes but grinned widely.  The brunette pulled the chair next to Kara closer so that she could press her side against Kara’s as she rested her hand on Kara’s knee.  Kara tilted her head and kissed Lena warmly, letting her lips linger and not really caring too much if Eliza saw them.  Lena still tasted vaguely of Kara’s toothpaste.  Lena just kept smiling as Kara pulled away, and she leaned in and whispered, “I love you,” into Kara’s ears, causing warmth to fill her entire body.

“Alright you two lovebirds, Lena’s coffee is ready.  Omelets are nearly done, too.”  She sat the jade green coffee mug down in front of Lena and turned back to the stove.  They ate quickly (Eliza clearly hadn’t forgotten how much food Kara could consume), then went upstairs to shower and dress.  Kara was pleasantly surprised to find that shower sex in her childhood bathroom was every bit as exciting as she could have imagined.  By the time they came back downstairs ready to face the day, it was already the middle of the afternoon.

Eliza, Maggie, and Alex were all hanging out in the downstairs living room.  As they walked in, Maggie shouted, “Finally, the sex bunnies are up and about!”  Alex elbowed her, but couldn’t stop herself from laughing.  Kara tried her hardest not to blush, but based on Maggie’s reaction, Lena had just winked at her or something.  Kara turned to her girlfriend with her nose scrunched in disapproval.  But on the inside, she was smiling as brightly as ever.  She and Alex were **_home_**.  With their **_girlfriends_**!  **_Plural_**!

Eliza resolved the not unpleasant awkwardness in the room by standing and looking at each of them with eyebrows raised.  As if to say, ‘you girls are too much.’  Maybe.  Then she turned to Lena as she reached down to grab Maggie’s hand to pull her up.  “Alright, daughters: you stay here.  Daughters’ girlfriends: you’re coming with me.”

Maggie just shrugged and went with it, but Kara spoke up.  Not that she didn’t trust Eliza, she just wanted to be sure Lena didn’t have to suffer a single moment of discomfort on this trip.  “And where are you taking my girlfriend, Eliza?”

“For ice cream, dear, and I’m not taking no for an answer.”  Kara could see the look in Eliza’s eyes.  She really wasn’t taking no for an answer.  Kara caught Lena’s eyes, and Lena just smiled at her.  Kara breathed a sigh of relief.  _She’s fine with it._

“Alrightey then, I mean I happen to **_like_** ice cream, but Alex and I are clearly on our own here.”  Kara really put some pout into her voice.  She loved the local ice cream shop to which Eliza was no doubt taking them.  But she actually did need to talk to Alex, so this worked out.  Plus, it was really cute that Eliza wanted to reach out to Maggie and Lena.  She knew Lena could use a mother figure who wouldn’t hurt her for once.  Lena kissed her goodbye before following Eliza and Maggie out the door.

“I hope Maggie doesn’t drive Mom crazy.”  Kara turned back and grinned at her sister. 

“Hey, she’s **_your_** girlfriend.  I’ll be curious if Eliza will be able to get Lena out of her shell.” 

“Yeah well, I’m sure Maggs will help with that.”  Kara grinned.  That was definitely true.  “Speaking of, how is Lena doing?”

“I think she had a major breakthrough last night, but she’s still got a long road ahead of her.  She’s finally dealing with her problems and finally letting me in, and that’s what really matters to me, you know?”

“Yeah I get it, I know she’s been pretty on edge ever since the invasion.  I can’t even imagine what she felt like if she actually believed she had poisoned those kids.  By the way—” Alex pulled Kara down on the couch next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, “—I don’t think I’ve told you yet how proud I am of you.”

Kara glanced sideways at Alex.  “Proud?”

“Yeah, I mean, if it had been Maggie, I probably would’ve killed Edge.”  Kara winced.  “Didn’t think I’d hear about the damage to Edge’s office, didya?”  Kara prepared herself for stern talking to, her shoulders tightening in anticipation.  Instead, Alex squeezed her shoulder and reassured her, “Kara, **_relax_**.  I meant it.  And I **_would_** have murdered him.  And I’m proud of you for limiting yourself to property damage.”

Kara sighed, knowing she had to fess up.  “Alex, I … I came dangerously close.  Lena could have died!  And even though she didn’t, he broke her.  This was the last straw, and she completely fell apart in a way I’ve never seen before.  Couldn’t even believe was possible.”

Alex scooted a little closer.  “I mean, but that’s why we’re here, right?  Lena will find her footing—she’s a badass.  Just don’t tell her I said so.”  Kara chuckled, then Alex withdrew her arm.  “ ** _Wait_** , what do you mean you came **_dangerously close_**?!”

She refused to meet what had to be a harsh glare from Alex.  “I … ummm, I might have …”  Kara sighed.  “Fine, I dangled him out the window.  For a split second, **_not even that_** , I thought about letting go.”

“Kara!”  Alex’s voice wasn’t scolding, but she was clearly disappointed.  “Kara, look at me.” Kara did.  “Look, I just confessed to you that I would’ve killed him.  Maybe I would have.  This is definitely a double-standard, but it’s also nothing new.  Supergirl **_cannot_** **_ever_** be a murderer.  You can’t even give anyone this kind of ammunition to call you a murderer.  Kara!  You know this!  Not for me!  Not for Lena!”

Kara stood up, unable to contain her own energy.  “Alex!  **_I know_**!  Like I said, it was a momentary lapse in judgment, and as soon as I realized what I was doing, I stopped.  He just.  He told me he’s going to keep trying to kill her!  He made it **_very clear_** , and I just reacted!  I can’t help how fast I move.”  Her fists were tight at her side.  She felt ashamed of what she did, but she wasn’t sure how she could have stopped it.  What, did Alex expect her to be able to be coldly rational when the people she loved were threatened?

She was trying to calm down enough to turn back to Alex and apologize when she felt Alex’s arms around her shoulders, coming together around her collarbone.  Alex’s chin rested on Kara left shoulder.  “Hey. Hey,” she said softly.  “I’m sorry.  I get it.  Really I do.  I shouldn’t have blown up at you—you know how I am when it comes to keeping you safe.” 

Kara turned around and rested her forehead against Alex’s.  “I just … when it comes to the people I love, I’m going to get emotional.  I’m going to react.  And he fucking got away with it, Alex.” 

“I know, sweetie.  But we’ll get him, I promise.”  Alex pulled back and smirked slightly.  “Did you scare the shit out of him, at least?”

“Eww gross, Alex.”  Kara paused for comedic timing.  “Pretty sure he peed himself, though.”

“Well there’s that, then,” Alex retorted wryly.  Then she walked into the kitchen.  Kara followed her, suddenly remembering what it was she had actually wanted to talk about.  Immediately, her whole body stiffened in nervousness.  And a little guilt, if she was being honest with herself.

Alex continued to the kitchen, where she pulled another beer from the fridge.  Kara hesitated, then asked, “Hey Alex?  Can we talk about something?  Something, umm, maybe kinda awkward?” 

Alex turned with an eyebrow raised in curiosity.  Kara looked away, crossing her arms apprehensively.  “Give me a sec, and I’ll meet you out on the deck, okay?”  It was a bright, sunny day, and Kara wanted to enjoy it.  Plus, it might give her some courage. 

 _Speaking of courage …_   Kara sped into her room and grabbed the bottle of Aldebaran rum, then returned to the kitchen to mix it into a glass with a couple of ice cubes, diet coke, and a splash of cranberry juice.  Drink in hand, she walked at human speed up the stairs and out onto the balcony.  Alex was leaning on the white railing, looking out towards the ocean.

Kara sat down at the table and waited for Alex to notice her.  The purple in her hair really did suit her.  It was cut a little shorter than it had been when she had first dyed it, and it was straight today.  It moved delicately in the light breeze, and the sun really brought out the different shades.  Taking a sip of her beer, Alex turned back to Kara and took a step before noticing Kara’s drink.  “Okay, what’s going on?” 

Kara took a sip.  “Liquid courage?  Sit down.  I need your advice.”  She fiddled around with the straw in her glass, not quite sure how to start.  Then it hit her.  “Hey!  You know how Maggie can sometimes be all flirty and stuff with our friends?”

Alex’s nose scrunched in surprise.  “Uh, yeah, I guess so.  Why?”

“Does it bother you?”

“I mean, I guess it did at first.  But that was more because it was my first relationship, and I was kinda insecure.  Plus, I’ve never been a big flirt myself, so I didn’t really understand.  Now I get that Maggie is just a flirt; it’s part of her charm.  I know that she wants to be with me, not anyone else … the flirting doesn’t really have anything to do with it.  And besides, I know that if she thought it actually hurt me, she would stop in a heartbeat.” Alex smiled.  “But it’s fun for her, and I find it pretty cute actually.”

Kara processed that.  It was helpful, but … _I’m not sure that’s exactly my situation.  I’m not sure Alex will understand._   “So, you don’t mind because you don’t think she’s actually interested in any of the women she flirts with?”

“Yeah, I guess so?  I hadn’t really thought about that much—it hasn’t come up.  I mean… Maggie’s with me, she’s not interested in anyone else.”  Kara continued sipping on her rum and coke.  Alex wasn’t quite getting it.

“What if she did?  Er, was, I mean?”

“Are you asking me how I would feel if Maggie was in a relationship with me but had feelings for someone else?  Kara … I don’t know.  I guess she’d have to figure out what she really wanted.  But yeah, it would hurt.  It’d probably hurt a lot.”  Alex looked at her quizzically.  “Why do you ask?  Do you think Lena is interested in someone else?  Did she cheat on you?!”

Alex’s face darkened, and Kara hastened to correct her.  “Alex, no!  She would never do that to me.  That’s not what this is about.  I really was just curious.”  She fiddled with her straw again, then finished off her drink.  “So … the last few times I’ve been alone with Sam, she’s been really flirty with me.  And I’m not really sure how to feel about it.”

“Does Lena know?” 

“I think so?  I haven’t really had a chance to talk to her about it yet.  But Sam seemed pretty confident that Lena was fine with it.”

“So, what’s the problem then?  Why does it make you uncomfortable?”

“I don’t know … I mean, no, it doesn’t make me uncomfortable.  Not like that.  I don’t think … well, I mean I don’t know, maybe she is like Maggie and she’s just naturally flirty.  But I haven’t really noticed her flirting with anyone else like she does with me.  Maybe a little with Lena, but even that **_feels_** different.  Ugh, I’m not making any sense, am I?”

“Not exactly, no.”  Alex sounded confused, and Kara looked up at her.  Alex’s eyes searched her for further understanding.

“Give me a sec.”  Kara grabbed her empty glass and Alex’s empty beer bottle and was back with refills in seconds.  “So I just … Alex, I think I really like it?”  Alex’s eyes widened.  “I mean, Sam is awesome and so much fun to be around, and yeah, she seems to have a cruel love of making me flustered, but even that is kinda fun?  I just … feel good when I’m around her, and I think the flirting is part of that.”  Kara sighed, her head turned down towards her glass.  She lifted her eyes just enough to look at Alex.  “Does that make me a terrible girlfriend?”

Alex took a while to respond, considering her words.  “Kara, I’d be lying if I said this didn’t worry me.  It sounds like a solid recipe for someone getting hurt.  So, you think Sam might actually **_like you_** , like you?”

“I mean… I don’t know for sure.  It could be all in my head.”  Kara honestly really wasn’t sure.  _Heck, I could be completely full of myself here._

“But you … I mean, Kara, do you have feelings for her?” 

Kara gasped.  “No!  Alex, I **_love_** Lena.  I love her **_so so much_**.  I’ve never felt like this before.  But … I mean I feel **_something_** for Sam.  She’s been a wonderful friend to me since we’ve started getting closer.  I feel such a bond with her.  And … yeah, she’s absolutely gorgeous.  That’s obvious to anyone with eyes.”  Alex’s eyes narrowed, and she chewed on her lip nervously.  “But Alex, I would never do anything to hurt Lena.  I’m certain Sam wouldn’t either.”

“Then why bring it up?  Why’d you even ask me?”  Kara felt bad—Alex seemed so uncomfortable with this conversation.

“Alex, I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.  I don’t know … this whole thing is confusing, and I didn’t know who else to talk to.  You’re my rock, you know?”

Alex blinked rapidly.  “Kara, **_I’m_** sorry.  Yeah, this is weird, and not something I expected to hear coming from you.  But you’re right.  I’m always here for you.  Even when I’m weirded out, okay?  I never want you to feel like you can’t talk to me.”  She stood up and walked over to hug Kara, who stood and met her halfway.  They grabbed their drinks and walked over to the railing again.  Kara could feel the bright rays of sunshine fueling her, filling her body with warmth and strength.  It was reassuring.

“I don’t really know what to tell you, though.  I’ve never exactly had the problem of having feelings for two women at the same time, if that **_is_** what’s going on here.” Alex turned and looked into her eyes.  “The best advice I can think to give you is that it sure seems like you need to talk to Lena about this.”

“I know.  I just … worry about the timing.  She’s been through so much, and I brought her here to relax and heal.  We had such a wonderful moment together last night, and I just … I’m worried.”

“I get it.  But do you really think you can keep avoiding the subject without her noticing?  You think you can be fully helpful to her with this weighing you down?  I really feel like honesty is the best policy.  You two can work it out together.”  _She’s right.  As usual._

Kara put her arm around Alex’s waist.  “I love you.”

“Love you, too, you big dork.”  Kara gave her the side eye.

“So … what awful teenage stories do you think Eliza is telling them?”

Alex blushed.  “Oh god.  I don’t want to know.”

~~~~

Lena had been fairly quiet on the short drive to the ice cream parlor, while Maggie engaged with Eliza from the back seat.  She and Maggie normally got on quite well, but Lena was still in a mood from the previous night.  She didn’t feel particularly talkative but wasn’t looking to be standoffish either.  She was perfectly content enjoying Maggie’s efforts to dig all of Alex’s childhood secrets out of Eliza.

Besides, conversations about childhood always made Lena a little uncomfortable, as they inevitably led to people asking about her own.  So, as they exited the car, Lena subtly changed the subject before the discussion could progress to that point.  “Now, Eliza, I recognize that you are a world-renowned chemist and xenobiologist, but I just **_must_** know: what do you do for fun around here?  Besides taking your daughters’ partners for ice cream, of course?”  She opened the door for Eliza and Maggie.

“Well Lena, you know, this is a first for me.  My daughters have never been the biggest daters, and they’ve certainly never brought anyone home.  However, you two play your cards right, and I might consider making it a semi-regular thing.”  She smiled softly.  Lena liked that about Eliza.  She had strong opinions and, Lena suspected, ever stronger emotions, but you wouldn’t necessarily know it from her behavior.  She was all soft expressions and a calm exterior.  Similar to Lillian in some regard, but in a wholly different, less sinister way.

She took their orders.  Maggie went with rocky road, while Lena chose chocolate chip cookie dough.  Eliza went with a simple cone of cookies and cream.  As they received their orders and Eliza paid, she continued answering Lena.  “As for what I do for fun, my studies are a big part of my fun.  Particularly when Kara or her cousin bring me new alien artifacts or samples to test and figure out.  It’s my career yes, but also my hobby.”

They all sat, Lena next to Eliza, and Maggie across from her.  “Yeah yeah, we get it.  You Danvers girls are giant geeks!” Maggie chided.  “But what do you do for **_actual_** fun?”

“Come now, Maggie.  Just because she doesn’t race motorcycles in her free time, doesn’t mean Eliza doesn’t have fun.”  Lena raised an eyebrow at Maggie.

“Says the woman who builds gadgets or whatever in her free time.” 

“Now now, you two.  It’s against the rules to fight over ice cream.  I **_do_** actually know how to have fun.  I often enjoy painting in the sunlight, with a nice cup of chamomile tea.”  Eliza’s voice was so pleasant; Lena legitimately couldn’t tell if she was being facetious or not.

Apparently Maggie felt similarly.  “Damn, Mama D, I can’t even tell if you’re joking.”

“I’m a woman of mystery, girls.  Keep that in mind if you ever think about hurting my girls.”  Eliza couldn’t keep the smirk off her face this time.

Lena jumped in.  “I’m inclined to believe her, Maggs.  Eliza, did Kara pick up painting from you, or did that pre-exist her trip to Earth?”

“I suppose I’ll have to take the credit for that one.  Though I confess, Kara is much better at it than I am.  She was always a natural.  I remember the first time I found her painting.  It was a few months after she came to us, and she was finally starting to get used to being on Earth and dealing with her powers.  She was still so sad and withdrawn at that time.  I had been painting in the sunroom with the windows open to the autumn air, but I got pulled away into a lengthy conference call.”  Lena had a feeling she knew where this story was going.  “When I came back to my canvas, there was Kara.  She had finished the painting, a landscape—sunset over a small lake beside some mountains, as I recall.  The landscape itself was better than anything I could have accomplished, but it was the change she made to the sunset that was so captivating.  It was all deep reds and lavenders … Superman had told us that Krypton’s sun was a red giant, but it was different seeing it myself.  But that’s how vivid Kara’s was.  It felt as though I were actually seeing a sunset on Krypton.  It brought a tear to my eye.”

Lena felt as though her heart might burst.  She could just picture a 13-year-old Kara painting something brilliant, her sad eyes scrunched in focus.  She understood perfectly how Eliza felt.  “It’s remarkable how amazing a person Kara is despite the tremendous tragedy she has experienced.”

Eliza nodded, smiling.  “But enough about me.  I want to get to know you two.”  Lena and Maggie exchanged a look.  “Maggie, what made you want to be a detective?”

“Yikes, well I’m warning ya, Dr. D, this is a rough story.” Eliza nodded to show that she could handle it.  “Okay, well you’ve been warned.  I grew up in a tiny Nebraska town.  My dad was a sheriff when I was a kid.  I was always fascinated with his job.  For as long as I can remember, my dad treated me like his little trainee.  Taught me how to study the ordinary details everyone dismissed.  He always used to say, ‘The key to most mysteries is in the mundane.’”  Maggie took a breath, and Lena worried that maybe she was struggling to continue.

Eliza asked, “So, you just wanted to be like your dad?”

“Hah,” Maggie muttered sardonically.  “No.  Not really.”  She breathed out heavily.  “Um, so when I was fourteen, I told a girl at school that I liked her, and my parents found out.  I came home that day, it was winter, and my dad was there with a suitcase, and he told me to get into the car.  And we drove in silence.  And I just stared out the window looking at the icicles on the trees, and I was terrified to say anything, but finally I said I said, ‘Papi, what did I do?’  And then he just looked at me with such contempt and said, um, ‘You shamed me.’  And then he pulled up to my aunt's house and left me there with my suitcase.  That was the last thing that my father said to me.” 

 _Oh Maggie._ Lena reached under the side of the table and put a hand on her knee.  Eliza reached out and put her hand on top of Maggie’s on the table.  Eliza spoke first.  “The only thing shameful about that story is how your father treated you, Maggie.”

Maggie sighed, then chuckled softly.  “Hell of it is, I **_know_** that.  Doesn’t make it hurt less.  Doesn’t heal the scars he left.  But the truth of the matter is, I wanted to become a cop just to prove that my gay ass could do it better than him.  Wasn’t till I got older that I moved past all that and realized I really love detective work.  And nowadays it’s even more interesting when Alex calls me for help on stuff.”  She paused and winked slyly at Lena.  “Less so when your other daughter gets involved, though.”

Lena jumped to Kara’s defense, asking sarcastically, “What?  Is Supergirl making your job too easy these days, Detective Sawyer?”

“Girls!  What did I tell you?” Eliza scolded playfully.

“Geez, okay **_mom_**!” Maggie quipped in response.

“And Lena, did you always want to be a CEO?  I’m guessing not?”  _Shit._ Lena had been so caught up in Maggie’s story, and then in making fun of her, that the Luthor childhood conversation had snuck up on her before she could redirect. _Shit shit._

Eliza sensed her hesitation.  “Sweetie, it’s okay, we don’t have to talk about it—”

“Nope. Nuh uh, come on now L’il Luthor.  I gave my sob story.  It’ll be good for you to share yours.  I promise, we got you.”  Maggie interrupted Eliza, but her voice was full of confidence and support.

Inspired by her talk with Kara the previous night and with Maggie’s willingness to share her own troubled childhood, Lena decided to go for it.  “Honestly, Eliza, I didn’t have any choice in the matter.  I’m an engineer and a scientist at heart.  Business has never been my thing.  But I was raised a Luthor.  I was groomed to have a role at LuthorCorp.”

Lena chuckled.  “Though, I’m sure Mother never expected that her hateful views would result in Lex arrested and her in hiding and me becoming CEO and leading the family company in a completely different direction.  Small victories.  Anyways … I’m sure you’ve already heard plenty of horror stories about the evils of my family.”

“Oh come on, L’il Luthor, it’s not like anyone lumps you in with them anymore.”  Maggie offered.  Lena thought that was rich.

“Says the woman who arrested me for breaking my mother out of prison.”  Lena had long since let that go, and she and Maggie were good enough friends now that she felt she could get away with the wisecrack without hurting Maggie’s feelings.  Not that Eliza knew that.

“You did what now?!”  Her eyes were wide in shock, and Lena suddenly couldn’t stop laughing.  Maggie immediately joined her, and Eliza looked at them both like they were crazy.  Which only made them laugh harder.  Lena was sure they were making a scene, but she couldn’t stop.  She laughed until her ribs ached from the effort.

Eliza waited patiently for them to calm down.  When they finally did, Maggie didn’t even acknowledge her question, instead turning to Lena and joking, “Damn Luthor, you’re never gonna let me live that down, are you?”

“Of course not.  The North remembers.”  Maggie’s brow furrowed, and Lena remembered that Alex hadn’t gotten her into _Game of Thrones_ yet.  “Ugh, Maggie.  If Kara and I come over too, will you finally give in to Alex’s insistence that you watch _Game of Thrones_?”

“Ugh, why do you keep trying to force this geek shit on me?!” Maggie knew just how to push her buttons. 

“It’s ultra violent, gory geek shit, and you would fucking love it.”  Lena’s eyes grew wide, and she turned to Eliza.  “Apologies, Eliza, for the rough language.”  Lena felt embarrassed that Maggie had goaded her into her casual talking shit voice—dropping an f-bomb in front of Kara’s adopted mom was absolutely not part of the game plan for this little retreat.

Eliza laughed softly.  “Lena, I raised **_Alex_**.  I’m used to whatever salty language you wanna throw at me.  Don’t censor yourself on my account.  As far as I’m concerned, it just means that I’ve made you feel comfortable.”  Lena smiled brightly at that.  Eliza was just about everything Lena had ever wanted in a mom.  She was almost jealous of the Danvers sisters.

Eliza continued, looking back and forth between them.  “I didn’t realize that you two were such good friends.  It’s really great that you four girls have formed this little family of yours.  Alex and Kara are as happy as I’ve ever seen them.  I’m so happy they have you both in their lives.”  Lena tried really hard not to tear up.  Eliza stood up and nodded towards the door.  But as both Lena and Maggie stood and walked forward, she stopped them both, wrapping an arm around each and pulling them in for a hug.

“Listen.  I don’t know what the hell is wrong with your parents.  I’m angry on your behalf for what you’ve both had to go through.  You’re both lovely ladies, and you deserve better.”  She pulled back, smiling brightly.  “No pressure, but if either of you **_need_** a mom, I’m here for you.  All I ask in return is that you love my girls with everything you’ve got.”

“You’ve got a deal, Dr. D!” Maggie beamed.  Lena nodded enthusiastically in agreement. 

“Wonderful!  Now let’s go see what trouble they’ve gotten themselves into.”

~~~~

In hindsight, Lena should not have been surprised that spending time with Eliza in Midvale wouldn’t really be much different from spending time with Kara and Alex in National City.  The five of them were back in PJs, curled up under blankets in the Danvers living room with popcorn and wine.  Movie night.  Eliza had never seen _Get Out_ , which was just wrong.  Maggie had insisted on it.  But then Kara had insisted on _Ghostbusters_ (the one with Kate McKinnon, obviously) as a chaser.  Maggie insisted the ending of _Get Out_ was a plenty happy note to end the night on (because of course Maggie would find the murder of all the creepy white people a happy ending—actually, Lena kinda agreed, in a fascinatingly morbid way).  But Kara had been adamant that they needed to end the night on goofiness, so here they were.  Lena was sure it had nothing to do with Kara’s massive crush on Kristen Wiig.

It was a perfectly, wonderfully relaxed night.  Kara was the sort of person who really acted out the tension and stress she felt during horror movies or thrillers, and she spent the entirety of the first movie in wrapping herself in various positions around Lena and hiding her face against Lena’s shoulder, chest, or lap.  It was the most adorable thing Lena could imagine, and one of her absolute favourite things about Kara.  She wasn’t the only one either; she caught both Alex and Eliza glancing over at Kara’s antics with bright smiles at least once each.

After _Get Out_ , they all took a breather.  Pee breaks, emotional processing, etc.  Kara took Lena by the hand and led her silently up to Alex’s old room, which had these large windows that opened like doors out onto the first floor roof.  As they walked out into the chilly night air, Kara explained,  “Alex and I actually shared this room for the first few years I lived here.  At first, she and I were really close.  Her presence helped me deal with my sadness, and I think she was just generally kind of fascinated with the alien girl who was suddenly forced into her life.  Eventually, we stopped getting along so well, and I moved into what had previously been Jeremiah’s study.”  Her voice grew softer at the mention of his name, and Lena wrapped her arms around Kara.

“But Alex and I would come out here a lot back then.  Better view of the stars here, at least for the unaided eye.”  Lena stepped around so that she was in front of Kara, and gripped Kara’s hands in her own, arms down at their sides.  She stood up on her toes and kissed Kara softly.

“I didn’t realize how much it would mean to me to see your childhood home, Kara.  I’m gaining all these tiny and remarkable little details and insights into who you are and what has shaped you since you came to this planet.”  She bit her lip and marveled at the reflection of the stars in the deep blue of Kara’s eyes.  “We’ve been here for a day, and I already feel like I know you so much better than I did before.  Darling, thank you for bringing me here.”

Kara didn’t respond.  She simply took Lena’s hands and wrapped them around her own waist, then wrapped hers similarly around Lena.  Her intentions were clear, prompting a wide smile on Lena’s face.  Kara pulled Lena flush against her, and they began swaying to imaginary music.   As Lena sighed into her girlfriend’s familiar scent, their bodies lifted gently from the shingles of the roof.

If Lena had stopped to think about it, she might have scoffed at how the moment was the sappiest, most romantic thing she had ever been a part of.  But Lena’s mind was completely off.  She was fully in the moment, living in the sensation of Kara’s warmth contrasting with the nippy breeze of the late autumn night.  All the tension was gone from her, and she felt completely safe and secure.  Lena didn’t know if she’d ever felt this light.

“Be less adorable, you two.”  Alex’s voice pierced through the moment, and they dropped suddenly the few inches back onto the roof.  “Sorry to interrupt, but it’s _Ghostbusters_ time.”  Kara grinned at her sister, and Lena hid her slight disappointment.  She had no idea how long they had been floating there, but she felt as though she could’ve been happy in that moment forever. 

They walked back downstairs in comfortable silence, Kara and Lena walking hand-in-hand.  Eliza and Maggie were waiting with fresh popcorn and more wine.  Maggie joked, “Alright L’il Danvers, this movie better be as funny as you say.  Otherwise I’m definitely gonna pass out on top of your sister after this glass of wine.”

Alex dropped down on top of her.  “Oh **_no_** , that would be just **_soo_** terrible.”  Maggie made a goofy face and then pressed a quick kiss to her lips.

“Ugh get a room, you two,” Lena quipped as she sat back down in her spot on the couch, Kara already pressed in tightly to her side.  They all settled back in, and Kara started the movie.  She had already made Lena watch the movie a couple of times, but Eliza and Maggie seemed to enjoy it just fine.  However, by the end of it, Lena and Eliza were the only two left awake.  Maggie and Alex were both snoozing upright, leaned against each other.  Kara had settled her head into Lena’s lap halfway through the movie, and at some point, Lena’s soft strokes through her hair had lulled the beautiful alien to sleep too.

As the credits rolled, Eliza caught her eye.  They smiled at each other, and while Lena knew that the older woman was beyond joyful to have them all in her home, to see her girls this happy, there was also a well of sadness under that smile.  _My mother has caused so much pain and suffering for so many more people than just me.  Yet here is Eliza, still a shining, strong beacon of support for her daughters and their loved ones.  Still a pillar of the scientific community working to make the world a better place._   Lena didn’t know how to say it out loud, but she tried to convey all the admiration and appreciation she had for Eliza into the smile she gave her.  Eliza nodded as if she understood, at least partially.

Then she stood up and gently shook Alex and Maggie awake as Lena did the same for Kara.  “Time for bed girls.”  She grinned, adding, “Unless you’re just dying for a living room slumber party tonight.”

They all went their separate ways and retired for the night.  Laying there next to Kara, Lena’s mind wandered to and fro at the conversations and experiences she’d had in Midvale so far.  She couldn’t be sure exactly how long she lay awake, quietly pondering.  But one of the last thoughts she had as she drifted off felt earth-shattering, in the best possible way.  _Perhaps I don’t need to bury my old family to build a life with my new one.  Maybe I really can just let it go._


	9. Holy shit I'm an alien

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam realizes she survived a gunshot without a scratch and goes on a journey to figure out about her history. It does not end great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yes, most of this is lifted from the Season 3 episode "Wake Up." BUT. It is important to Sam's character, and to future plot developments. I tried to write it so that it was a novel take, and interesting even if you've seen the episode. 
> 
> Also, I can't give you all fluff all the time. Sorry.

** Chapter 9 **

Ruby was spending the weekend out of town for a vocal competition with her school choir, so now was the perfect time to get some answers.  Sam was trying not to collapse under the weight of her freak out, but she needed answers.  Desperately.

The night Supergirl had saved Lena from Edge’s plane, after Lena and Kara had left her home, she had gone up to her bedroom and begun to undress.  As she untucked her shirt and began unbuttoning it, she heard something metallic fall and bounce on the wood floor.  Reaching down, she found something bizarre and terrifying on the floor: a crumpled metal shard.  She picked it up, holding it between her thumb and index finger, and she started as she realized it was a bullet.  Or it used to be.  Dropping it in shock, she reached for her blouse.  There was a perfectly round hole in it that she hadn’t noticed until now.  She reached back for her blazer.  Matching hole.  _What the fuck?_  

It was really fortunate that she was exhausted, but she had no logical explanation.  Resolving to figure it out in the light of day ( _hey, maybe it’s a sleep-deprived hallucination_ ), she had set the bullet on her dresser and gone to bed.  It was still there the next morning.  And she still had no explanation.  She did her best to focus on work; she **_had_** to, since Lena was out of town.  She had wanted to talk to Lena when she got home, but that was about Kara.  This was a whole other thing to discuss, and she had no clue where to start.  Would Lena think she was crazy?  Would she muddy the waters with the other conversation, which was ultimately so much more important?

Sam really tried, but she was really struggling by Friday night.  She was cooking dinner for her and Ruby, and—on a whim—she had thrust her hand into a boiling pot of water.   She didn’t recoil.  She kept the hand in the scalding water for a good twenty seconds.  As she pulled it out, she was astonished by the impossible.  Her hand was completely fine, not a single blotch, welt, or burn.  Not only that, but she hadn’t felt any pain; the water had felt pleasantly warm.  She’d have laughed if it wasn’t so damn eerie.

Thoughts raced through her head.  _I have … powers now?  Am I an alien? A … what was it called … metahuman?  Why now?  I’m 31; why hasn’t this ever happened before?  Am I invulnerable?  Like Supergirl?  Can I fly, too?_

The rest of her night was spent with Ruby, which had distracted her enough to keep her from falling off a cliff in conspiracy theories.  After Ruby had gone to sleep, she had gone outside to see whether maybe, just maybe, she could fly.  Turns out, she could not.  She had then stayed up until nearly 2 a.m. googling aliens, metahumans, latent powers, developing abilities in your thirties, government experiments … anything that could make sense of this.  Ultimately, it had only confused her further.

So now, she was on a mission.  The drive took her a little under four hours, but she had finally reached the small town where she had spent the first 17 years of her life.  It was early afternoon, and Sam wasn’t sure whether she hoped her mom— _Patricia_ —was home or not.  As she got out of the SUV, she was flooded with feelings of nostalgia.  The slight incline of the green grass hill.  The large bushes mostly obscuring the front porch of the nondescript two-story house.

As she walked slowly up the hill and onto the porch, she noticed the same wicker chair set was still there all these years later.  As she stopped in front of the door, she hesitated again.  _Do I really want to do this?  No,_ came the quick response, _but you need answers._   She knocked.

Patricia’s voice answered immediately, as if she were in the next room, and it sounded exactly as Sam remembered it.  “Coming.”  As she came into view, Sam felt so strange about seeing her again.  She looked quite a lot older than when Sam left, but still had those same thick-rimmed dark glasses.  When Patricia caught sight of her through the glass door pane, she stopped suddenly, just for a moment.  It was understandable that she would be surprised—Sam hadn’t been here in fourteen years.  Then she opened the door, and Sam said the first thing that came to mind.

“Hi Patricia.”  Her adopted mom didn’t answer; she simply smiled that half smile of hers, then pursed her lips and moved aside to let Sam in.  Patricia began walking towards the den.  Sam followed.  The silence was uncomfortable as hell.  Patricia indicated that she should take a seat on the couch and told her quietly that she would go make some tea.  She shuffled off to the kitchen without looking at Sam again.

It was five minutes or so before she reentered the room with a tray carrying a pitcher of iced tea and two glasses.  She sat it down on the dining room table and began pouring the tea.  She still hadn’t looked at Sam since she entered the house, not even as she handed her a glass of tea.  As she poured her own glass, she asked, “So it's just you? You didn't bring, um...”

“Ruby?” Sam finished pointedly. 

Patricia finally turned to her, but continued to stand by the table.  She drew a sharp breath before replying, “I've never met the girl, so I don't think you should expect me to keep her name straight.”  _Oh right. Thanks. Bitch._

Sam shook her head in disbelief.  “Well, you kicked me out for having her. I didn't think you'd want to meet her.”

Patricia walked forward to take a seat across as she responded, “No, you ... you made your choice. You had to know that there would be consequences.”  There was no regret in the woman’s voice, which sounded almost scolding.

“I was a kid,” Sam whispered, her frustration coming out.

“You know as well as anyone that the moment you become pregnant, you're not a kid anymore.”

“So I didn't deserve a support system?!  Married adults have children all the time.  They need their parents.”

Patricia shook her head.  “I would have just been a crutch for you.”  She stood as said that, then walked back to the table.  Her voice didn’t show it, but Sam could tell the conversation was becoming uncomfortable for her.

“You were my mother!”  Sam couldn’t believe it.  She hadn’t changed a bit.

Patricia turned back from the table, her eyes flashing angrily.  “And I always wanted what was best for you!”

“So you just let me leave?!”  Sam stood.

“That’s **_not_** what I wanted to have happen, at **_all._** ”  The emotion was starting to seep into Patricia’s voice now.

Sam released a long breath, closing her eyes as she asked, “Do you know how hard it was for me to come here?”

“Well, then why did you?”  Her voice was cold again.

“You’re unbelievable.”  Sam couldn’t look at her.  She shook her head and took a step back.  “Some things have been happening.”  Sam glanced up to see that Patricia had removed her glasses.  “I guess I was just wondering if … growing up, uh, if I ever did anything strange?”

“Well, what do you mean by ‘strange?’"

“I don't know, did I fall—like, **_fall_** —and not get hurt?  Did I ever lift anything really heavy?”

She shook her head as she replied, “No.”  She turned again to take a few paces.  “No, nothing like that.”

“Nothing?!”  _There had to have been something.  This couldn’t have just come out of nowhere._

“No!”  Patricia turned back to face her again.  All her movement—was she nervous?  Hiding something?

Sam looked down at her feet, sighing.  “Okay. Uh ... well, **_maybe_** you could help me find something out about my birth mother?”  She felt like she was grasping at straws now.

“Well, why do you want to know about her?”  The glasses were back on.  _Seriously?_

“You know what? Just forget it.”  She waved her hands dismissively and turned to leave. “Sorry I bothered you,” she spat as she walked away.  Then she stopped.  _Fuck it._   Without turning to face her mother, she explained,  “I was at a press event. …  Someone had a gun and got off a few shots, but no one was hurt.” Now she turned, fixing her eyes on Patricia’s.  “I got home, and I found a hole in my coat.  Found a little piece of metal.”  She indicated with her hand, holding her finger and thumb as she had a few days ago when she first picked it up off the floor.  She couldn’t keep the emotion, the fear and frustration, out of her voice anymore.  “A bullet.  It was completely flattened.  I got **_shot_** , and it didn't puncture my skin!  I got shot, and I **_didn't feel it_**.”  Her eyes were brimming with tears now.  “How could I not feel it?  Patricia!   ** _What_** is happening?!”

Patricia had been avoiding her gaze again.  But now she looked straight at Sam, pulled off her glasses again nervously, then said, “Follow me,” and turned to walk away.  They walked in silence out the back door and around the house to the rickety old shed almost tucked away in the surrounding trees.  They entered, and Patricia turned on the light.  They walked in, and she gestured towards a large object covered in a nondescript beige tarp.  Sam had a feeling she knew what was under there and didn’t hesitate to step forward and pull the tarp away.

She revealed something distinctly alien.  It was a pod-like spaceship, roughly the size of a small sedan.  It was almost fish-like, with a snub nose in front of a round pilot’s compartment, with three large fins in the back.  The whole thing was a sleek charcoal colour, with faded brownish red accents.

“You asked about your birth mom.  I lied.  I didn't adopt you.”  Sam withdrew her gaze from the ship, turning back to her mother.  “I found you.  In this.”

Sam stared at her incredulously.  This was the answer she had been looking for; the answer that part of her had expected.  But she couldn’t wrap her head around it.  She looked back at the ship.  “I ...”  She shook her head, exhale slowly as she closed her eyes.  “I... I just... I—I don't understand.”  She continued to blink rapidly, in shock.

“I didn't, either.  I didn't know **_where_** you were from or **_who_** left you in this thing, or **_why_**.  And you just, you looked so damn helpless—” Patricia paused, looking down, “—that I took you home.”  She looked back at Sam as she said ‘home,’ and there was still love in those eyes. 

But that didn’t change the fact that she had kept this secret all these years.  “Were you ever gonna **_tell_** me?”

“I swore that I would tell you when you turned eighteen.  But you were gone by then.  And I thought, ‘Well maybe, maybe that's better.’  That you would be better off out there on your own without knowing.”

“That I'm an alien?” Sam finished.

“Sam.  I just wanted you to have a normal life.”

She turned and examined the ship.  There were some strange symbols—alien writing, perhaps—just behind the cockpit.  As she gently glided her hand over them, they lit up red.  At the same time, the readout in the cockpit came to life in the same red lighting, and a thin, pale, aquamarine crystal rose out of a panel just in front of the cockpit.  It was maybe ten inches long, and as she pulled it out from the panel it faded to an inky black.  The moment she grasped it, she felt _something_ course through her body.  Like energy, but not quite.  Like her body had a realization that her mind hadn’t caught up to yet. 

 _I’m an alien.  I always have been.  Am I like Supergirl?  Or more like the Daxamites?  Where am I from?  How can I find out?  How do I tell Ruby about this?_ Thought after thought, question after question, raced through her mind.  _I won’t find my answers here.  But **this**_ —she gazed down at the black crystal— _might show me the way._   It felt almost as though it were beckoning her forward, directing her on a path.

She had only been there for maybe twenty minutes.  And she was very clearly not going to be repairing any burned bridges.  So, she said her stiff goodbyes and warned her mother not to move the ship.  “I’ve got to figure some things out, but this is key.  No more secrets.  I deserve to know who I am.”  She walked to her SUV and drove off. 

Part of her felt like it was crazy, but she just sort of … followed her gut on where she should be going.  She drove west and at some point the crystal began pulsing with greenish white light, faintly at first but with increasing brightness as she approached her destination.  It had taken her out into the desert, and as she turned onto a narrow dirt path, the crystal lit up fully, no longer pulsing.  It looked exactly as it had when it had first popped up from the ship.  Suddenly her engine shut off, seemingly of its own accord.

Sam pulled to a stop, confused.  The sun had long since faded away into the night, but the moon was full and bright, with not a cloud in the sky.  There was nothing here.  But again, she followed her instincts, turning off the path and walking away from her SUV.  She walked a few hundred yards when the brush cleared out, and a large spot of bare, dry earth spread out before her.  The crystal began pulsing again, more strongly this time.  She kept walking, the warm sun baking down on her. 

As she stopped, the crystal flashed brightly, then the earth shook around her.  The ground in front of her began to crack and crumble, and she fell back, onto her ass.  _What the fuck have you gotten yourself into here, Sam?_ Giant pointed columns, almost like stalagmites of stone and sand, began to erupt from the ground, shooting hundreds of feet in the air and criss-crossing at odd angles.  The structure that began to form was massive, maybe six or seven stories tall and at least twice as wide.  _What **is** this?_

Sam approached and found what she assumed was a door.  It was made of the same stone as the structure, but there was a clear outline of a door or a panel that was twice as tall and wide as she was.  It responded to her touch by splitting down the middle and sliding apart.  As she entered, she found herself in a cave-like tunnel that was dimly lit by an ambient light that seemed to come from nowhere.  Here and there, scattered across the walls of the tunnel and embedded in random outcropping of stone were glowing red … _gems?  Lights?_ She couldn’t be sure. 

The tunnel was maybe 50 yards deep, then it opened into a vast chamber.  She looked around in wonder as she entered it.  The lighting was still dim here, but she could make out the ceiling so high above her—it appeared to be formed by the criss-crossing of the giant columns forming the structure.  The back of the room featured a large raised podium with a central staircase made of dark obsidian steps.  In the center of the room, tilted towards her, was some sort of raised sigil, in the same obsidian stone and roughly the size of a coffee table.  It was the exact shame oblong pentagonal shape as Supergirl’s crest, but with a very different shape at its center.  It looked terrifyingly like a human skull with its mouth wide open.

 _Okay, now I’m starting to get creeped out.  Do I come from some sort of alien death cult?  Because I did **not** sign up for that._  She walked around and found that the back of the sigil was a desk-sized panel.  In its center was a circular hole perfectly sized to hold the crystal vertically, so she inserted it.  The crystal lowered into the panel mechanically, locking into place with maybe half its length sticking out of the hole.  The panel lit up in red lights and the same strange symbols from the ship.  _Woah._

Sam looked around the room to see if anything else had activated, and that’s when she saw that she wasn’t alone.  A cloaked figure, all in black, stood between the sigil and the entrance.  Or rather a hologram of a cloaked figure.  _The same figure from my nightmares?_   Under the hood, Sam could finally see the figure’s face, a human-appearing woman with dark eyes.  She was beautiful.  As Sam walked towards the hologram, she spoke.

“You’ve come.”  She said it as if it was inevitable.  Her voice was clear and regal, with an almost British-sounding accent.  She spoke, however, with very little emotion.  It was a little unnerving. “I imagine you have questions.  I have answers.”

“I’ve seen you,” Sam muttered, continued to walk closer.  “In my dreams.  What **_are_** you?”

The hologram of the woman didn’t move at all.  “Science.  Magic.  Information.   ** _Your friend_**.”  _Friend, huh?_ Sam felt conflicted about this woman.  Part of her didn’t trust the hologram, but another part felt as though she recognized the voice of an old friend.  _Focus Sam.  Questions now, sort out your feelings later._

“What is this place?”

“This is your fortress.  A piece of your world, the dead planet Krypton.”  Sam gaped at the hologram, as everything clicked into place.  _So I **am** like Supergirl.  Kryptonian._

She began to circle the hologram, working through her thoughts aloud.  “I always knew I was different, but I always thought … it was because I was adopted.  But ... it **_wasn't_**.”  She stopped directly behind the hologram, which continued to face forward.  Sam took a few breaths, processing this revelation.  “I'm like **_Supergirl_**.”

“You are so much more than that.  You are a culmination of centuries of work, a being designed for one purpose: to execute justice.”

“I'm a hero?”

Finally the woman turned, her face tight with concern.  A beam of light hit her just so, and oddly, it gave her the appearance of being more solid.  It also accentuated a detail Sam only just now noticed, that same crest on the woman’s chest, about half the size of Supergirl’s crest and all in a silver outline.  The woman cautioned her, “They will not call you a hero.  They will call you ‘Worldkiller.’  They will try to contain your power, but they will fail.  You will show no mercy to those who oppose you.  Your justice will burn the world of man.”

As the woman spoke this dark omen, Sam’s heart dropped out of her chest.  She went from elation to horror in under three seconds.  Her chest felt tight, and everything in her wanted to reject what this woman was saying.  Except for that one tiny voice in the back of her head, like a dark version of herself, whispering that it was all true.

“No!  I'm not … a Worldkiller.”  She whispered the terrifying moniker.  “I'm not, **_I’m not_** a Worldkiller!  I have a life!  Beloved family and friends. … I have a daughter.”

“Your offspring was an unfortunate error. Your powers were supposed to manifest when you came of age.  She delayed the realization of your destiny.”

 _Alright, now I’m pissed._ “She is not an error!”

“You will soon forget her. You will soon forget all mortal trappings.”  

 _It’s true.  You know it’s true._   That voice was getting louder.  Sam’s chest tightened further, the fear threatening to overwhelm her.  “No. This can't be right.”

“It is time for you to emerge.  It is time for you to become **_Reign_**.”  The tightness in her chest erupted into white hot pain, and she felt paralyzed.  Like her body was be compressed in and exploded out at the same time.  She felt as though she couldn’t breathe.  She screamed in pain, collapsing to the ground.  And then the darkness consumed her.


	10. We're in this together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Closing off the Midvale arc with a couple of important conversations between Kara and Lena.

** Chapter 10 **

Saturday was unseasonably warm, so the five of them decided to head to the beach.  Alex was so excited about teaching Maggie to surf.  If was fortunate that Eliza had kept Alex’s old wetsuits from when she was a teenager; Maggie managed to fit into one of them, and Alex spent a good chunk of the day making fun of her for it.  Alex and Maggie even convinced Eliza to join them, despite not having surfed in years.

Lena and Kara, on the other hand, were dressed in casual attire.  Kara was in jeans and a large navy, knitted wool sweater, while Lena was in a flowy, deep red high low belted dress under a leather jacket.  They had no interest in surfing, just in enjoying the sand under their feet, the smell of the ocean and the salt in the air.  From the minute they had hit the sand, Kara had kicked her sneakers off, and Lena had followed suit once the fivesome had laid down some blankets and arranged their cooler and other items just so.  Kara had looked so radiant in the midday sunlight on the beach.  It was like Lena could almost see the solar radiation radiating power and warmth throughout her body.  It was breathtaking and sexy. 

Now, Lena and Kara were laying back, side-by-side with their shoulders and upper arms touching, just taking in the bright blue sky.  Pushing herself up slightly so that she could look at Lena, Kara asked, “Hey, do you wanna go for a walk along the beach?”  Lena reached up and put a hand on Kara’s cheek.  “Of course I do, darling.”  Kara put her hand over Lena’s, then pulled it softly from her cheek and kissed it.  Then she stood and helped Lena up. 

At first, they walked in silence, holding hands and appreciating the steady crashing of the waves.   But Lena could only contain her curiosity for so long.  She had a feeling Kara had something specific on her mind.  “Kara, love, is there something you’d like to talk about?”

She glanced over just enough to see Kara’s face scrunch a little.  _She’s nervous._   Lena squeezed her hand encouragingly, and as they continued their stroll, Kara asked a question that took Lena completely by surprise.  “Did you and Sam ever date?”

The question stopped her in her tracks.  She looked at Kara quizzically.  “Where on **_Earth_** is this question coming from?”  She wasn’t upset, just confused.  Caught off guard.

“I promise I’m going somewhere with this.  But I don’t know, I just have a feeling.  Before me, she was the only person you really had in your life, who really knew you and who had earned your trust.  Plus you’re both so hot, just like wow.”  Lena raised an eyebrow at her stuttering girlfriend.  “You’re right, so not the point.  But still.  Like I said … just a vibe, I guess?”

 _Hmmm._ Lena chuckled, then took Kara’s hand again and continued walking.  “Yes.  We dated.  For almost a year.  When we first met, she was skeptical of me.  Didn’t trust the Luthor with the silver spoon in her mouth.  But she captivated me instantly, and I worked my ass off to prove to her that I wasn’t what she thought.  We hooked up a few times, but it was more than that.”

Lena swallowed hard.  She hadn’t really had to face the failure of that relationship in a long time.  Never since she had become the person she was today.  “I … I fucked it up pretty royally.  I made sure our relationship stayed a secret.  I wouldn’t even let her tell Ruby.  It was hard enough learning to let someone in, and even though I wanted to, I never quite let Sam in until much later, when we were just friends.  But the thing that really terrified me was Mother.  I had no idea what consequences I might face if I was publicly outed as a lesbian.”  This time it was Kara who squeezed Lena’s hand reassuringly.

“I was awful to Sam.  We were desperately in love, but I wasn’t mature enough to handle that.  And I definitely wasn’t ready to be anything like a mother figure to Ruby.  Eventually, Sam couldn’t take it anymore, and she broke it off.  She said she deserved better, and she was absolutely right.”  Lena teared up a little.  She loved Sam so much.  She was her dearest friend, and the guilt over how badly she hurt Sam still pained her tremendously.

Lena stopped them, turning to face Kara while releasing her hand.  She looked down, crossing her arms.  “Kara, I was awful.  I really hurt her.  It’s been years now, and things are great between us, but … I’ve never really faced what I did to her.”  Lena just stood there, looking at her feet, waiting for Kara to comment on how awful she was.  Instead, Kara place her index finger under Lena’s chin and raised her head until they were looking at each other.  Then she kissed her.  Lena didn’t know why should be surprised.  Kara was such an angel.

“We’ve all done bad things in the past, Lena.  No one is perfect, and you’ve been through more than most in your life.  The important thing is that you and Sam were able to forge ahead anyway, and now you’re in a place where you would never hurt each other.”  Lena glanced away from the confident belief beaming from Kara’s baby blues, then breathed in and out before turning back and facing her.

“You’re right.  It still hurts, and I still feel like I should talk to her about it, even if we’re past it.  I’m a different person now.”

“I’m sure she would appreciate that.  But we’ve got more to talk about right now.”

They started walking again.  “Indeed.  So why **_are_** we delving into my past love life?”

“I guess I’m curious about Sam.  Also now I’m just more curious about your past with her.  How were you two able to get past the break up?”  If Kara had ulterior motives, which would be unusual for Kara anyway, they did not show on her face.

“I … we … time, mostly.  I think that’s the answer.  We were both decently high ranking employees at LuthorCorp, and neither of us really fit in that well with our peers in the company.  So, it was hard to avoid each other.  And we just … genuinely cared for each other.  Despite all the hurt feelings and the confusion, it was hard for all the little things we liked about each other to not come bubbling to the surface when we interacted.  Eventually, she snapped at me.  Blew up over how the relationship ended and how I treated her.  She did it because she wanted to be friends, because she couldn’t imagine her life without me in it.  But we couldn’t do that until I faced what I had done and apologized.  So, I did.  And it took time to repair the damage, but eventually we built something stronger than what we had when we were dating.  Before I met you, she and Ruby were my family.  My only family, even if I hadn’t realized that yet.”

Lena sighed.  “I still worry, though.”

“About?”

“Well, have you noticed that Sam doesn’t really do relationships?  I worry … ugh this sounds narcissistic, but the timing is right.  I worry that I’m the reason.  That I hurt her so badly that she didn’t want to risk it again.”

“That’s certainly possible.  But Lena, that’s on Sam.  Not you.  You’ve apologized.  The two of you have moved past it.  If the experience is holding her back from letting herself experience true love again, then that’s a problem she has to work out for herself.  It’s a point of growth, sort of like how you’re struggling to overcome your issues caused by your own past.”

“Darling, you’re not worried that I might leave you for Sam, are you?”  Lena didn’t think that was it, but she still wasn’t sure where the conversation was going.

“No!”  Kara stopped and looked at Lena firmly.  “No, Lena. Definitely not.  I absolutely trust you, and I get that you and Sam are just friends.”

“So then, what are you getting at here?  This feels out of nowhere.”

Kara got really awkward all of the sudden, turning away and pacing as she fiddled with her hands.  “I …  **_Rao_** , okay. So—”

Lena interrupted.  “Darling, it’s fine.  You don’t have to be so nervous.  Here—” she gestured to a nearby outcropping of rocks.  “Let’s sit.”

They sat, and Kara tried to explain.  “Umm, you know … it’s just that Sam is **_really_** flirty with me.  Have you ever noticed that?”

Lena **_had_** noticed it, and she found it curious and unusual.  But she had been going through her own shit and then the stuff with Edge popped up, and she hadn’t given it much thought.  Much less talked to Sam about it.  Still, as she sat there pondering it now, it didn’t **_bother_** her, not really.  Kara was adorable and sexy and fun, and Lena had flirted with her relentlessly back before they started dating.  Putting some pieces together, that raised some possibly concerning questions about Sam’s intentions, but Lena knew deep down that Sam wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.

“Yeah, I’ve noticed it.  Kara, are you saying that Sam is making you uncomfortable?  Because I’m sure she doesn’t mean—”

Kara cut her off.  “Leeeeeeena, no.  I mean.  I know Sam wouldn’t intentionally make me uncomfortable.  I’m also pretty sure she wouldn’t intentionally hurt you.  I guess I’m just kinda curious.  Like … is that just who she is?  Is she just overly flirty with everyone she starts to get comfortable with?”

“No.”  Lena confirmed.  “She really doesn’t.  I almost never see her flirt unless she’s trying to pick a woman up.”  She was a little anxious about where this conversation was going, but she also genuinely wanted to deal with whatever appeared to be troubling Kara.  “Which I guess raises some interesting questions, huh?”

Kara giggled.  Lena couldn’t quite tell if it was nervous giggling or something else.  Kara responded, tentatively, “Lena?  Am I a terrible girlfriend if I kinda like that she flirts with me?”  Kara looked genuinely worried, and she reached out and took Lena’s hands as she asked.  Which really helped, actually.  Kara was very clearly signaling that all she cared about was protecting Lena and discussing how they each felt about this … _development._

“Darling, no.  Sam’s an incredible flirt, and she’s a delightful friend.  I’m not at all surprised that you would enjoy her attention.”  Lena thought about it, realizing something.  “It’s actually … really cute?  Does that sound crazy?”  Kara shook her head, smiling brightly at Lena.  Lena took a breath and admitted what was on her mind.  “Kara, I think she has a crush on you.”

Kara gaped at her.  Clearly she had not expected Lena to be so blunt.  Then she blushed furiously.  “You think she …  I?  Pssh.  What?”  Sputtering Kara was the absolute most adorable Kara.  Lena kissed her silly.  Kara went with it, but when Lena pulled away, she seemed even more flustered.  “Ummmmm.  I’m not complaining, but what was that for?”

“You’re just thoroughly adorable, darling, and I couldn’t help myself.”  Lena winked, and this time it actually appeared to help calm Kara, at least a little. 

“So, you don’t hate me?”

“Kara, I love you.  You know that.”

“I love you, too.  So so much.  That’s why I’m not really sure what’s going on here.”  Kara’s conflict and confusion were evident in her voice and body language.  Lena felt conflicted too and more than a little hurt, now that she knew what was going on with Kara.  But … she didn’t want Kara to feel bad about something she couldn’t help.

“Love.  It’s okay.  Sam has a crush on you, and it makes you feel weird, probably confused, right?”  Kara nodded.  Now for the hard part.  “Do you have any idea why it might make you feel that way?”  Kara thought about it for a little while, and then just looked at Lena, lost.  “Could it be because you maybe have a tiny bit of a crush on her, too?”

“Ummm what now?”  Kara’s voice sounded approximately three octaves higher.  “I mean.  No.  I love **_you_**.”

“Of course you do, darling, but what does that have to do with whether or not you have a crush on Sam?”  Now that she was starting to get a sense of what was going on, Lena couldn’t resist messing with Kara a little.  Plus it helped her to avoid letting her mind race forward and think about all the possible outcomes and challenges that could come out of this revelation.

“I just … I thought that was how it goes on Earth.  I mean, if I love you, and I’m committed to you, I’m not supposed to crush on anyone else, right?”  Kara seemed nervous and confused and completely unsure of herself.  So, Lena scooted closer and put and arm around her.

“Kara.  Did you choose to like that Sam flirts with you, or did it just happen?”  Kara rolled her eyes, since the answer was obvious, but still, she shook her head.  “No, you didn’t.  We can’t help how we feel.  If, as I suspect is the case, Sam likes you, she can’t help that.”  Lena drew a sharp breath, more than a little afraid of her next point.  “Just like you can’t help it if you have feelings for her too.”

Immediately, Kara had turned to her and pressed her forehead to Lena’s.  They just sat there like that for maybe a minute, then Kara kissed Lena’s forehead and searched her eyes.  “I’m here.  With **_you_**.  **_Together_**.”  _She doesn’t want to hurt me.  She’s just as scared as I am.  But yeah. Yeah.  We’re in this together._

Lena nodded, blinking back a few tears.  “I know.  I believe you.  I’m just scared.” 

Kara started at that.  “Scared of what?”

“Kara, I …”  Lena hated feeling insecure.  But she wanted to be completely honest with her girlfriend.  “Sam is so much warmer and more open than I am.  She doesn’t have all this emotional baggage that she’s trying to work through.  I know that you love me, but I just—”

“But **_nothing_**!”  Kara shouted, taking Lena’s face into both hands.  “Sweetie.  I love you.  **_All_** of you.”  She gestured widely at everything around them.  “I brought you here because I want to help you with your baggage, not run away from it.”  Lena felt reassured, but the doubt was still there. 

Almost as if she could see it in her eyes, Kara continued.  “Look, we’re being completely brutally honest here, with each other and ourselves, right?”  Lena nodded once, and Kara exhaled sharply.  “Okay.  Okay … so then, yeah.  I think Sam is an incredible person.  She’s gorgeous.  She’s a wonderful friend and a wonderful mom.  She’s quickly become one of my closest friends, and she’s your family.”  Kara bit her lip and looked away for a second before focusing on Lena again.  “Yes.  There’s something there.  A spark.  I don’t know.  **_But_**!  I’m not going to leave you for her.  Not ever.  You’re Lena **_forking_** Luthor.  You’re **_my_** Lena.”  Kara kissed her, firmly and passionately.

Lena smiled at her, weakly.  “And you’re my Kara.  Maybe I’m just scared of change.  I feel like I just started to figure out my way forward, how to be **_me._**   And the partner you deserve.”

“You already are.  Sure, you’re growing.  And that’s great.  But I am growing too!  We’ll grow together.”

“Ugh.  I love you so much, you know that?”  Kara grinned at her.  “You know… what you said about Earth customs.  It’s not unheard of.  For people to have feelings for multiple people at the same time, that is.  Sometimes even multiple relationships at the same time.”  Kara seemed shocked by that.  “Was it not like that on Krypton?”

“Oh!  No. …  I mean, no that’s not why I’m surprised.  On Krypton, I’m not sure, but I don’t think couples were the exclusive form of romantic relationships accepted by society.  I mean, I was only thirteen when I left—my concepts of love where naïve and romanticized fairy tales really.  My parents were a couple, I assume exclusively, but I remember being aware of other family formations.  “I just … from everything I’ve seen on Earth, people pair off.  I’ve never even heard of, like, a three-person marriage.  And everyone always gets so up in arms about cheating and jealousy and—”

“Yeah, it’s a fraught subject, darling.  We humans haven’t quite figured it all out yet.  But I promise you there are people out there who do actually make it work.  Various forms of non-monogamy work for different people—not everyone is cut out for pairing up in a monogamous couple for their entire lives.”

“Oh.  Well cool.  But.  I don’t know that **_that_** is for me.  For us.  I don’t know how Sam fits into this.  But we’ll figure it out together.  Okay?”  Kara’s eyes looked so worried, searching Lena’s for agreement, for reassurance.

Lena kissed her, smiling into Kara’s mouth.  “Okay.  Stronger together, right?”

Kara chuckled.  “Right.”

“Well okay then.  We’ll figure it out.  No rush.  I know that it’s scary.  And maybe a little weird.  Or a lot weird, I don’t know.  As long as we keep talking to each other, we can do anything together.  I love you.”

Kara stood and helped her up again.  They hugged each other tightly, then kissed again.  “I love you, too.”  Then a mischievous look crossed Kara’s face.  She looked around the beach, then closed her eyes.  _What’s she doing?  She’s … listening?  Oh!  I see what’s on that dirty mind of yours, Supergirl._

Kara pressed herself against Lena, her arms encircling her waist.  She leaned in and whispered into Lena’s ear, “There’s no one around.”

Instead of responding, Lena pulled away just far enough that she could launch herself into Kara’s arms, tackling her to the sand.  Kara kissed her passionately, pushing her leather jacket off her shoulders as her kisses traced down Lena’s jaw and neck.  Lena thought about teasing her a bit, but she could feel the desire flowing through her body, hot and thick.  So she did the opposite of teasing, reaching down with both hands to unbuckle her belt and lift her dress all the way over her head. 

Lena loved the way Kara’s eyes gazed all the way down her nude form, hungrily.  She smiled, then got back to kissing her girlfriend thoroughly.  Her hands began removing Kara’s clothes indiscriminately.  She wanted her.  **_Now._**

~~~~

They had stayed a couple more days, and each was every bit as relaxing and affirming as the first several.  Today, they were going home, and it felt right.  Lena felt like she was ready to face the world again.  She was standing by herself on the deck of the Danvers’ house, finishing off her third cup of coffee.  She’d never really spent this much time in a place like this, and she took in the quiet scenery one last time.  It was remarkable how different she felt, like she’d cocooned on the flight over and had slowly but surely broken free and spread her wings.

Her reverie was broken as Kara came up behind her.  “Hey babe, you ready to go back to National City?”

Lena grinned, but didn’t turn.  Kara came to a stop just behind her, wrapping her arms around Lena’s waist, and looking out over her shoulder.  Lena responded, “You sure we can’t just stay here forever?”

“Well, I mean you’re rich, right?  We could probably make it work, but I’m not sure Supergirl is all that needed here in Midvale.”

“I guess you’re right.  But let’s come back here more often, okay?”  Lena leaned her head back and pressed it to Kara’s.

“Whatever you want, pineapple.  I’m sure Eliza would love that.”  Kara’s voice was just so warm and kind. 

Lena sat the mug down on the railing and faced Kara.  Seeing her face in the mid-morning sunlight struck a chord in Lena, and before she could think about it any further, she blurted out, “Hey, what if we moved in together?”  Kara crinkled her nose in surprise but smiled broadly.  Lena didn’t wait for answer, plowing ahead with her thought.  “I mean … we’ll have to figure something out.  Your place is wonderful, and I would never want you to give it up, it’s absolutely darling.  But it’s definitely too small for both of us.  I guess … what if we just keep both our places, but they’re like … both **_ours_**?  That could totally work, I mean, if you wanted to?”

Realizing that she was babbling like Kara, Lena stopped herself, blushing slightly as she waited for an answer.  Kara smirked.  “Wow, Lena, that’s just a really big commitment, you know?  I don’t know if I’m ready—” seeing Lena’s face start to drop, Kara interrupted herself, exclaiming loudly, “—Of **_course_** I’ll move in with you, dummy!  You’ve got to let me redecorate your place, though.  It’s beautiful, but it isn’t exactly homey.”

Lena was so excited.  “Anything you want!  I want my place— ** _our_** place—to feel like you.  We can discuss any changes you think would be good.  The only area where I must put my foot down is my favourite painting—if we move it, it has to be to somewhere more prominent.  Otherwise it stays where it is.”  Kara laughed loudly—Lena knew that she adored how much Lena loved her painting.  “And you can keep half your wardrobe at my place, including a spare Super suit, or I could always my you some new clothes to keep there.  Do you have some room for a few of my things and some of my clothes at your place?”

Kara looked at her like she had asked a stupid question.  “I will **_make_** room silly.  I want my home to be your home.  And I want to spend every night in bed with you.  Wake up to your beautiful face every morning.  Whether that’s at the penthouse or the loft, who cares—because both will be **_our_** home.”  Kara looked positively radiant, and Lena thought she might explode from happiness.  She jumped into Kara’s arms and kissed her passionately. 

Then she picked up the empty mug and before Kara could realize what she was doing, she leapt onto Kara’s back.  “Now carry me back inside so we can tell the fam our happy news!”


	11. About Those Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Alex go drinking with Vasquez and Lucy. Meanwhile, Sam and Lena have a serious conversation about Kara.

** Chapter 11 **

It was a beautiful day, and Kara was beyond happy to be spending the afternoon with these beautiful people.  There had been nothing that needed DEO attention today, and so she, Alex, Lucy, and Vasquez had headed out for a late lunch and drinks.  They had all piled into Vasquez’s Jeep.  Because the top was off, Vasquez and Lucy had been forced to shout to continue flirting with each other, and it had taken all the effort they had for Kara and Alex to not laugh their heads off.

As they walked into the alien bar, Alex gave her a look that said this had become a fairly regular thing whenever the two were together lately.  Kara didn’t understand why these two dummies didn’t just go on a date already.  They were so adorable.  Topics over lunch ranged from mundane DEO gossip to a recap of Kara and Alex’s recent Midvale adventures, and throughout, the two were exchanging looks and finding any excuse for little touches. 

Almost as if she couldn’t take it anymore, Alex asked, “So Vasquez, you seeing anyone?”  Vasquez looked at her like she was crazy, and Alex just grinned impishly in return. 

“Danvers, I don’t see how that’s any of your business, but no, I’m not seeing anyone.”  Lucy had to have already known this, but Kara thought she saw a glint of relief (maybe excitement) in her eyes anyway. 

Alex was quick to come back with, “Would you like to be?”  Kara couldn’t believe how brazen she was being, winking at Lucy when Vasquez looked down at eir lap in embarrassment.  Lucy kicked Alex under the table and glared at her.  Then Vasquez spoke up again.

“And with that, I need to go take a piss.  Danvers, since you’re so keen on getting to know my personal business, would you like to come along?”  Kara honestly wasn’t sure if it was because she felt bad or because she wanted to continue her antagonism, but the whole table was a little shocked when Alex calmly answered, “Sure,” and got up to follow Vasquez to the restroom.

But then Kara was focused on the task at hand.  “Lucy!  This has gone too far.  You ask that agent out right away!”  She kept her voice stern but friendly.  Lucy’s eyes narrowed.

“Look here—” Lucy dropped her voice down to a whisper solely to call Kara “ ** _Supergirl_** ” then continued in her normal speaking voice, “—you don’t get to order me around.  **_Especially_** about how I handle my crushes on overly attractive agents.  I’m **_your_** boss, not the other way around.”

“So you admit that you like em!”  Kara didn’t even pretend to care about Lucy’s scolding.

“Of **_course_ ** I like em!  Anyone with eyes can see that!  I know it.  Ey know it.  But neither of us has made a move, and there’s a reason for that.  You think I don’t wanna pull em aside and push em in a back room in the DEO somewhere and just kiss em silly?!  But I’m eir boss!  I know that ey like me back.  I **_know_** that it’s mutual.  But I still don’t want to feel like I’m coercing anything.  Or making em feel awkward or uncomfortable.  So, until ey make a move, I just **_can’t_** Kara.” 

“Oh Lucy, you precious angel.  Has it ever occurred to you to just, I don’t know, **_talk_** to Vasquez about it?  Maybe tell em exactly what you just told me?”

Lucy made as if to argue, then stopped.  A look of incredulity spread across her features.  “I’m an idiot, aren’t I?”

“But you’re a very cute one.  Also, I’m pretty sure Vasquez is a fan of how much you are a cute idiot.”  Kara paused for emphasis, making a flirty face at Lucy.  “Plus, I’m pretty sure Alex is having this exact same conversation with Vasquez right now.  She never takes this long to pee.”  The blush was immediate, and Lucy’s eyes widened as she thought about it.

Then Kara felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see that Alex was back.  “Hey Kara, you wanna grab a drink **_at the bar_** real quick, I’m not sure what I want.  Might need some help, you know, **_over there_**.” Kara beamed at her, then caught sight of Vasquez sitting down next to Lucy.  She stood up, winked knowingly at Vasquez, then followed Alex away from the table.

Alex ordered a whiskey and coke, and Kara figured what the hell, so she ordered an Aldebaran rum and coke herself.  “Those two are impossible.”

Kara grinned again, before responding, “Sweet, adorable, impossible dorks.  At this rate, we’re all gonna be in relationships before too long.”

Alex snorted.  “Only if it turns out James and Winn have been secretly dating this entire time.  Now **_those_** two are impossible.”

“At least Winn’s not moping over Mon-El anymore.  I even caught him making heart eyes at a cute blonde woman who was here a couple nights ago.”

“Good for him!  We’ll see if he ever has the courage to actually ask her out.  Oh hey, why don’t you see if Sam and Lena wanna play hooky this afternoon and join us?”

Kara completely failed to hide the look of panic that crossed her face.  She hadn’t been in a room with Sam—much less with Sam **_and_** Lena—since she and Lena had discussed the elephant in the room.  Which now felt like an even bigger elephant.  A ridiculous one with extra ears and bright pink skin.  Sensing her anxiety, Alex tilted her head out of curiosity.  “Are you going to spontaneously combust in front of me?  Is this about what we discussed in Midvale?”

Kara nodded.  Her stomach was working into knots.  Alex pushed, just a little.  “Sweetie, what’s going on?”

“Nothing!  Alex, really.  But maybe something?  Or the possibility of something?  I don’t know.  I don’t know!  But Lena and I are in the best place we’ve ever been, and I feel like we just need to keep talking about stuff.  And I have no idea how to act like a normal person around Sam, but I don’t wanna have any kind of a conversation with her until I’m sure how Lena feels about it.  And how I feel about it?  Ugh.  I don’t know, Alex.”  Kara was sure she sounded as lost as she felt, and part of her just wanted to live in her love bubble with Lena and not think about all the complicated confusion that was the butterflies in her stomach when she heard Sam’s name.

Looking up, Kara became very worried about Alex’s face.  There was something there, beyond worry.  Beyond confusion.  But then it was gone, and she smiled reassuringly.  “Kara, as long as you and Lena are good, you really shouldn’t let **_whatever_** freak you out like this.  You and Sam are friends, right?”  Kara nodded.  “And Lena and Sam are friends, right?”  Kara nodded again.  “So, focus on that.  It doesn’t have to be weird.  And if it does get weird, would it be the worst thing in the world to clear the air rather than dance around it?” 

Kara considered that, and Alex directed her attention back to the table.  “I mean looking at these two.  I get that it’s completely different, but everyone could see that there was something there.  And they would’ve just continued ignoring it.  And for what?!”  Alex shook her head.  “Now look at them.”

Kara did.  They were in a bubble of their own.  It almost didn’t look any different than their previous flirting, except it was like something intangible had just shifted into the correct place.  As she turned back to Alex, she realized that she was smiling again.  “You’re right.  Look, it’s me—” Kara pointed at her own face, “—SuperChillGirl.  So, let me ask you: is it crazy if I’m kinda okay with Lena buying me a bunch of new clothes to keep at the penthouse?”

Alex very dramatically placed a hand to her chest.  “Oh **_my_**.  The **_penthouse_**.  Ooo lah lah.  I forgot you were a fancy lady with your fancy sugar momma and your fancy penthouse now.”

Kara glared.  “Aleeeeeeeeeex.  Stop it!  I’ll sick Lena on you and make her buy you new clothes.”

“I **_have_** all the clothes I need, thank you very much.”  Alex’s voice dropped off as her attention turned to the alert on her phone.  “Welp.  The thorough mocking you so desperately need will have to wait.”  She turned and shouted towards the table, “Hey lovebirds, duty calls!  Gotta head back to the DEO.”  Vasquez glared in response to the ‘lovebirds’ comment, but Lucy grinned from ear to ear.  Alex turned back to Kara.  “No need for Supergirl on this one.  Low level threat.  But can you handle the tab?  I’m sure Lena’s given you the platinum card by now, right?”  Alex stuck out her tongue before hugging Kara. 

Kara didn’t hug her back, and then shouted at her as she followed Lucy and Vasquez out the door, “I’ll get you back for this!”

~~~~

Meanwhile, Sam and Lena actually were playing hooky, over at The Con.  Lena clearly hadn’t forgotten that Sam wanted to talk when she was back from her vacation, and she had been bugging her for the last couple of days.  Sam hadn’t really had time to think too hard about **_whatever_** was going on between herself and Kara, what with all the ‘oh right, I’m an alien’ freaking out.  Not to mention she couldn’t remember how she had gotten home from her mom’s house.

But finally, Lena had confronted her in her office with a change of clothes and forced her to leave the office for the afternoon to come to the bar.  So here she was, drinking a beer and checking out a table of women nearby, completely unsure where to start with talking to Lena.

“What’s that Sam?  Oh!  Why yes, thank you for the congratulations on moving in with Kara.”  Sam pulled her eyes back to where Lena was standing next to her.

“Geez, you and the girl go on one vacay together and now you’re snapping at me.  I thought suburbia was supposed to relax you.”  Sam didn’t mean to fight with her.  She sighed.  “Lena, I’m sorry.  My head is all over the place right now, and I’m not handling it well.”

Lena touched her elbow, gently.  “Hey.  I know.  I can tell.  It’s part of why I thought it was important that we talk.  There’s no pressure here, no judgment.  Let me help.”  Sam tried to smile but could tell it wasn’t very convincing.  “Come on, let’s go sit down.  You want something to snack on?”

“No, I’m fine with my vodka.”  They sat down across from each other, and Lena fixed her with the goofiest look Sam had ever seen on her face.  Her eyes narrowed, but then the laughter took over.  It washed over her like a soothing wave, untightening every joint and tight spot in her body.  As it subsided, she took in a deep breath, held it, then released it. 

“Thank you.  I needed that.  You always know the right thing to say.  Or not say in this case.  I’m sorry I’m all out of sorts.”

“Sam.  It’s fine.  Are you okay?  I thought I had an idea what’s been on your mind lately, but I’m beginning to worry that there might be something bigger going on—talk to me.”  Lena’s voice had gone from soothing to concerned.

She was in no way prepared to have the alien talk with Lena right now.  So, she jumped to the first thing that came to mind.  “Kara!” She blurted out, searching Lena’s face for that initial reaction she hid from most people.  There was only compassion there and, curiously, understanding.  Now Sam was the one distracted from the alien topic.  _Where is she going with this?_

Lena smiled.  “So I **_was_** right.  Well then, you’ve really got to stop worrying, love.  Everything is going to be fine.  Now.  Tell me why talking about Kara has you all in knots?”

 _Does she know?  Am I that obvious?_ Sam was thrown off by Lena’s demeanor, but she trusted her friend.  Still, that didn’t make any of this less complicated.  “Lena. … Actually!  You were right before.  I never congratulated you, and I should have.  Moving in together is a huge step, and I am so happy for you and Kara.”  Sam couldn’t help but think about how much Lena had grown since she and Sam dated—this sort of commitment would’ve turned her into an ice sculpture back then.  Based on the ever so slight cloud that crossed Lena’s face, she couldn’t help thinking about it either.

“Sam, that means a lot to me, but it’s not really what’s been on your mind lately, is it?  Hey—” Lena placed a hand over Sam’s, “—it’s okay.  Really it is.  I know you’re happy for me and Kara.  I also know that you’re my best friend and that you would never hurt me.  Now.  Tell me what’s on your mind.”

 _Oh she definitely knows.  Does that mean Kara knows?  Surely it does._   Sam hadn’t talked to Lena about this yet, but she had wanted to.  She had gotten past the point where she could try to be subtle around Kara anymore, and Lena deserved a conversation.  “I never could hide anything from you, could I?”

“Nope.  Now spill.”

“Fine.  I like your adorable girlfriend.”  Blunt and funny, that’s the way to start this.  _I hope._  

“No kidding.”  Lena’s voice was as wry as her expression. 

“I wanted to tell you, to talk to you about it.  But everything blew up.  Everything with Edge—including me and Kara teaming up to try and prove your innocence—and then you and Kara were gone.  And I wanted to give you both your space!”

“Hey hey hey,” Lena interrupted.  “I know.  You told me we needed to talk before I left.  Hey!  No blame here.  You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Sam knew she hadn’t, but Lena was right that she was worried it would look that way.  “How did you know?  Did the flirting make Kara uncomfortable?  Shit.  It did, didn’t it?  I tried to read the room, and I made it very clear that I would stop if she wanted me to, but… shit.  Does she hate me?”

“No, Sam.  She doesn’t hate you.  Neither do I.  And I know because Kara told me, yes, but not because you made her feel uncomfortable.”  Sam’s stomach did flip flops, because there was really only one other reason Kara would have brought up the subject of Sam’s flirting with her.  “Look, this is really confusing for me.  For Kara, too.  But I think it’s something we **_all_** need to be talking to each other about.  So, I’ve been trying to talk to you since I got back.”

Sam winced.  “And I’ve been avoiding you.  Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine.  We’re here now.  And I’m not letting you leave until we get some stuff out in the open.”  Lena paused to get the attention of the waitress walking by and asked for two more drinks.  “Now.  Tell me more about your feelings for my girlfriend.”

Sam loved that somewhere along the way, Lena had picked up some Sam-isms.  But the nitty gritty of this conversation required a slightly defter hand.  “First, some ground rules.  We both promise to be honest, even if it is hard, okay?”  Lena nodded.  “Okay good.  Also, this subject is stupid delicate, and I do **_not_** want to hurt you.  If I say something that hurts you or that you don’t understand or if you need me to stop everything and explain something further … stop me.  Okay?  Don’t just let something go.  I don’t want any misunderstandings if we can avoid it.  We need to be on the same page.”

“I agree.  And I’ll do my best.  Like I said, it’s confusing and there’s no avoiding that some of this will hurt.  I’ve got my insecurities—I mean, fuck Sam, you of all people know I do.  But I promise.  I want to have a frank, open conversation with you.”

Sam nodded as she took a deep breath.  “Okay.  So I guess first I wanna know what you’ve told her about me, about **_us_**.  Does she know that you and I were in a relationship?”

“Yeah, we talked about it in Midvale, before we talked about you.”  Sam had follow up questions, but she would come back to them.

“Does she know that I’m poly?”  Sam wasn’t a hundred percent sure she deserved that label, given that none of her current long-term relationships were romantic in nature.  She and Lena had been purely platonic best friends for years now, and she and Kaziah were purely sexual.  Sam couldn’t remember the last time she’d even considered a serious romantic relationship.  But that’s the label she had used all the times she and Lena had talked about it, so that’s what she stuck with.  It’s not like she could ever really see herself in a long-term monogamous romantic relationship.

“No, we hadn’t quite gotten to that yet.  Besides, that’s your story to tell, not mine.  You talk to her about that when you’re ready to.  I explained to her that despite what she had apparently picked up from the media, not all hu—people find monogamy fully satisfying, and it isn’t weird for her to find herself attracted to another person even though she is completely in love with me.” 

“Attracted to another perso—oh.  Oh!”   _Kara Danvers. Is. Attracted. To. Me._   Sam had a feeling that the attraction was mutual, but it still made her giddy to have the confirmation.  “Lena?” she asked tentatively.  “Honesty, right?”

“Yes, Sam.  Honesty.  It’s not as though you could hide it from me.  My very intentional insinuation that Kara is attracted to you very clearly lit up your entire face.”

Sam blushed, and she could feel it from her feet to her face.  Then something occurred to her.  “Hey Lena, how are **_you_** feeling about all this?”

Lena took her time answering.  She took another sip of her drink, and her face was indecipherable, even for Sam.  “I’m still not entirely sure I have an answer to that, honestly.  You know me—my first response was self-doubt and pain.  But I’m as happy as I’ve ever been.  Midvale set me free.  I’m still working on me, but whatever rock bottom I hit after Edge, I’ve started moving on from it.  I love her, Sam.  We haven’t even been dating a year, but I know in the core of me that Kara and me is a forever kind of thing.  And you know me well enough to know how fucking crazy it is for me to feel that, much less admit it.”

Sam did indeed know how remarkable this was, even if she was able to keep her mouth from dropping to the floor—if just barely.  Lena smiled, and it was a Kara-level sunbeam of happiness.  “I **_love_** her, Sam.  And she loves me.  And all we want is to be happy together.  Everything else is secondary.”  _Ouch.  So I’m secondary._

“No no no!  Sam!  I didn’t mean it that way.”  Lena must have realized immediately how she took that last sentence.  “Hey!  I’m not trying to say that our friendship is secondary to my relationship with Kara.  Or even that whatever does or doesn’t or might exist between you two is secondary either.”  Lena placed a hand on hers again, so Sam looked back at her, searching Lena’s eyes for answers.  Those pale green irises were full of nothing but love, and Sam believed her.

“Okay.  Then what did you mean?”

“I just meant that Kara and I are solid.  I’m not second-guessing us.  I genuinely believe that she and I can do anything, that nothing is going to get in the way of us.  Not my insecurities, not any other issues that may find us over the years, and not the fact that she thinks you are—which word did she use?—oh yes, ‘ ** _gorgeous_**.’”  Lena rolled her eyes dramatically at Sam’s grin.  “Does that make sense?”

“That totally makes sense.  And that’s amazing, Lena.  So mature. I’m … look, please please don’t take this the wrong way, okay?”  Sam waited for Lena’s impatient nod before continuing.  “I’m really proud of how much you’ve grown.  Since you absolutely wrecked everything when we were dating with all of your insecurity and fear of commitment and inability to handle, you know, all of this.”  Sam wiggled her body to make it very clear she was teasing.  “Seriously.  Kara has been so good for you, yes, but you’ve done this yourself.  For years, I was worried you would never find this kind of happiness, this … comfort.  And you absolutely deserve it.  Things didn’t work out between you and me, like **_that_** , but I never stopped wanting this for you.  Believing that you deserve happiness.”  Sam looked down at her glass again.  “And I’m sorry if my hots for your girlfriend complicate that.”

“Yeah, well.  That’s life.  It’s complicated.  I was well aware of that fact before you started flirting with Kara.  Which … maybe we should talk about that now?”

“Straight to the point then.  What do you want to know?”  Sam found herself oddly excited by where the conversation was going now.  She dared to allow herself to dream.  Where was Lena taking this?

“You like Kara, right?  What does that mean?”  Lena held up her index finger, her other hand going to her temple as if struggling with a thought.  “Let me put it this way.  You haven’t—and I’m well aware it is none of my business unless you want to share, and I’m not judging you at all—but you haven’t been in a serious relationship since you and I were together, right?”

“You want to know whether I just want to add Kara as a notch on my belt, is that what you’re asking?”  Sam didn’t mean to sound so defensive, but there was an old wound there that Lena was picking at.  “Sorry.”  Lena raised an eyebrow skeptically.  “No really, I am sorry.  It’s … you’re right, I don’t want to talk about it.  But no, that’s not it.  I **_like_** Kara.  I care about her.  In a way I haven’t felt since …”  _You_ , she left unsaid, and Lena didn’t call her on it, knowing full well what she meant.

“Okay.  Good.  Because let me be clear: that is my priority.  Kara’s heart.  I will do anything to protect it.  To protect her.  And I trust you.  I’ve known you and loved you and trusted you for so much longer than I’ve known Kara.  So, I know that you won’t hurt her.  Not intentionally.  If nothing else, because I know you know that it would break me.  And there are few things in this world—maybe nothing—that I trust more than I trust you not to break me, Sam.”  Lena’s voice broke just a little, and it affected Sam.  She loved Lena so much.  There were still some old wounds from long ago, but Sam always found it remarkable that Lena was capable of trusting her like this.  Of loving her like this.

It’s what made Kara that much more remarkable, in addition to being an adorable sexy ball of sunshine who was constantly surprising and mysterious yet somehow, discordantly also so earnest and straightforward.  Kara had won Lena’s heart so quickly.  Kara had been the catalyst behind so much growth in Sam’s best friend.  It was extraordinary. 

“You’re right, Lee.  You’re my family.  I love you.  And you’re making it very clear to me that she is your family.  I would never hurt her.  I … I really like her.  And I’m a little sorry for that.  I didn’t want to get in the way of your bubble of happiness.  You have no idea how much joy getting to know Kara has meant for me, just as your best friend.  Seeing how she has changed you, unlocked so much of the wonderful Lena locked away beneath all your walls.  I wanted nothing more than to just be here for you both and support your happiness as a couple.  But it’s more than that.  How I feel when I’m around Kara is more than that.  And I couldn’t just ignore it.  That wouldn’t be fair to me, or to Kara, or to you… even if I was capable of it.” 

Their eyes met, and Sam was sure then that they understood each other.  Sometimes that was all it took between them.  “Lena, I can’t pretend I don’t have feelings for Kara anymore.  And I don’t think you would want me to.  But your happiness is so important to me.  I’m not going to ask the two of you to open up your relationship, even if Kara does like me back.  But I don’t want to lose either of you.  My feelings for you changed over time; the same can happen with Kara.”  

It hurt Sam so much to say that, because she knew she meant it.  She was nursing a massive crush on Kara, and in another world… maybe they could have explored it.  Maybe it could have been magical.  But Lena was family.  So now Kara was too.  And she wouldn’t do anything to muddy the waters. … Not unless everyone was completely in.

“Sam.”  Lena paused, struggling with her words.  So unlike Lena.  “I … I’m not sure I want that.  I’m not sure Kara does either.  I … she … I love her.  I want her to be happy.  There’s a spark between you two, and I think that could make Kara happy.  But it’s something you two should talk about.  And if necessary, something the three of us should figure out together.  But … just.”  Lena looked up, then took a deep breath.  “Don’t dismiss it out of hand.  Kara and I haven’t.  We haven’t talked about it in depth yet, because I wanted to see where your head was at.  If there was really something here to talk about.  And **_clearly_** there is.”

Sam chuckled, and Lena joined her.  Sam threaded her fingers into Lena’s and held her hand tight.  “Lena Luthor, are you saying that you and your girlfriend **_might_** have room in your relationship for something more?  With me?”

Lena still looked fragile, but positive.  “I’m saying let’s talk about it more.  I’m saying maybe.  I’m saying … let’s all get on the same page and figure out where we go from here.  Like I said, I just needed to know where your head was at, but as far as I’m concerned, whether your friendship with Kara has the room to grow into something more is between you and Kara.  I can’t decide for her.”

“Okay.  Well … if I have your blessing, I’ll talk to her about it soon.  What’s important to me is that we all stay honest with each other.  No hiding from difficult feelings.  No secrets.”  Sam thought she saw Lena wince, but she must have imagined it.  Lena’s gaze was firm and resolute.

“I promise.  You’ll have to talk to Kara to find out if she’s in too.”  Sam nodded, then smiled.  “You two continue to surprise me, ya know?”

“Oh darling, you have no idea.”  Lena winked at her, and holy shit did Sam suddenly want to have some idea so very badly.  So, of course, she changed the subject.

“That’s enough heavy talk for now, don’t ya think?  Let’s get another drink, and I can tell you all about Ruby’s choir trip.”  But Lena wasn’t looking at her.  Her eyes were fixed firmly on her phone, and Sam could see the wheels spinning in Lena’s head.  Then a mischievous grin spread across her face.

“Actually, darling.  I have to go.  Do a … **_thing_**.  Elsewhere.  Without you.  Might I suggest that you go for a walk.  Think about all this.  It’s such a nice day out.”  Sam was suddenly suspicious, but Lena’s intentions, devious or not, were hidden behind a massive grin.

“Lena, what the fuck?”

“Language!  So uncouth, Samantha.  All I’m saying is that something urgent has come up that I simply must attend to.  And I have a **_feeling_** that you would really enjoy it if you went for a walk.  Enjoyed the … **_sunshine_** this afternoon.  Maybe around that park over by the zoo?  That’s only a few blocks from here, right?” 

Lena was being beyond weird, but Sam knew better than to question further.  She had no plans on going back to work, not in these casual clothes anyway, and a walk didn’t sound half bad.  She had a lot to process.  Plus, now she just **_had_** to know what the fuck Lena was getting at.

“Fine.  I’ll play your little game.  You better not let me down with this.”

“Don’t you trust me?”  Lena’s grin was downright impish now.  Sam shook her head.

“You’re an ass.  And I love you.” 

“Love you too, darling.  Bye now.”  With a wink and a giggle, Lena was off towards the exit.  _Seriously, what the hell?_


	12. Simple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara goes for a walk in the park, and Lena makes sure Sam is there too. They find each other, and sparks fly.

** Chapter 12 **

After Alex, Lucy, and Vasquez bailed on her, Kara wandered out of the bar a little aimlessly.  It was a gorgeous afternoon still, and she wasn’t ready to head home.  After wandering for a bit, an idea struck her suddenly.  Before she flew off to her destination, she shot a quick text to Lena.

[3:39 p.m.]   **Hey you!  Alex Lucy & Vasquez bailed on our afternoon hang, so I’m on my own now.  Feeling strange, like wanderlusty but wo** **the wanting to travel part?  I know that makes no sense.  Anyways, hope your day’s going great.  I’ll be around the park for awhile if you decide you wanna take a break from work ;)**

Without a further glance at her phone, she found a back alley, changed into Supergirl, and leapt into the sky.  She put out a few fires on the way—one literal and the others metaphorical—but found herself back in Kara Danvers mode, walking up to the park, maybe forty minutes later.

When Kara was feeling pensive, she liked to get lost in the clouds as far away from people as she could get.  However, when she just wanted to be present in the moment, to lose her conscious self to the delights of life on Earth, the park was where she loved to go.  It was the perfect mix of nature and civilization.  She would soak in the sun, feed the ducks, people watch, or just get lost watching the ambling flight of a butterfly.  Sometimes people would be playing music or kicking a soccer ball around or even a couple of times she’d gotten to watch an actual game of Quidditch.  This place was magical—always so varied and beautiful and entrancing.  Later on, she might look back on this day and find the park magical for other reasons.

At some point she glanced at her phone and noticed that Lena had responded to her. 

[3:43 p.m.]   **Finally had a chat with our darling Samantha.  It was quite interesting to say the least.  You two definitely need to talk and soon.  Please, don’t be afraid to be honest with her about your feelings.  I think from now on we should all put everything on the table.  Sam agrees.  But I’ll support you no matter what.  Just follow your heart, love!  I’ll call you after work.**

 _What?!_   Kara moved off the path she was walking so that her sudden halt didn’t bother anyone walking behind her.  Her thoughts were spiraling a mile a minute, and it felt like the butterflies that would occasionally occupy her gut had spread to her entire body.  Before her mind could run off in five different directions of imagination, she texted Lena back. 

[3:45 p.m.]    **What did you talk about?  What do you mean follow my heart?  Lena!!!**

She was sure that her response didn’t make much sense, but she needed more information and was too excited or nervous or **_something_** to make her words go together the right way.  Fortunately, Lena replied almost immediately.

[3:47 p.m.]   **She and I talked about the flirting between the two of you.  A little bit about the conversations you and I had in Midvale.  And some other stuff that I’m excited for you to find out for yourself, but are not mine to tell you.  Seriously!  Talk to Sam.  Be honest with her about your feelings.  As long as you’re just enjoying the afternoon anyway, maybe see what she’s doing right now.  Maybe the fates will align for an adorable walk and talk at the park.**

Kara again could not form words, so she sent a string of emoji back in return.  Even though she knew Lena would absolutely not respond to nothing but emoji.  She would just smile at her phone in that adorable way she did.  Lena once told her that long emoji texts like this were the message equivalent of Kara’s real life flustered flailing.  Only now did Kara finally understand how true that was.

She started walking again.  _Be honest about your feelings.  Follow your heart._ This was all getting so real so quickly.  She took some deep breaths as she continued up the path.  The distance in Midvale had been so comforting.  She and Lena found this wonderful bubble where their foundation was solid, and they could, from a safe distance, contemplate this unknown that was both thrilling and terrifying.  The fact that she was madly in love with Lena and also giddily attracted to Sam didn’t seem contradictory or mutually exclusive in that abstract consideration.  They could imagine some fantasy world, some fairytale, in which she and Lena lived together happily forever while Kara also explored whatever new wonders might come with Sam.  The possibilities were endless, but safe.  They weren’t pressing.

Now she felt pressed.  Because Lena and Sam had talked, and the potential was still there.  Things hadn’t blown up.  And now there was an expectation of further conversation, between her and Sam.  About feelings.  Scary feelings.  Wonderful feelings. 

Kara also felt pressed because she missed Sam.  They hadn’t talked or hung out since that night spent investigating the natatorium.  She knew that they couldn’t hang out again without having this conversation.  It was out there.  The elephant was too large and loud and attention-grabbing to avoid any longer. 

It really did seem fated that this was the thought crossing her mind when Kara saw her.  Because Sam was every bit as attention-grabbing as the metaphorical elephant of their unspoken feelings.  She stood there on the path, maybe 50 feet ahead of Kara, with a curious look on her face.  She appeared to be searching for something.  _How have I never noticed how tall Sam is?  Is she taller than me?_   Kara was used to being the tallest woman in their group; it should have stood out to her that Sam was even taller.  But she felt like she was noticing it for the first time ever.

Not quite ready to announce her presence, Kara took in all of Sam’s appearance.  She was surprised to see Sam in casual attire on a weekday afternoon.  She was wearing a light grey tank top, the thin straps of which accented the straight, smooth line of her collarbone.  The sun radiated warmly off her bronzed shoulders, and Kara felt the sudden urge to know what the skin of Sam’s shoulder tasted like.  _Oh, Rao._   The tank top didn’t quite meet the top of her black skinny jeans, not when she was standing straight, and there around her hips was the most adorable part of her outfit.  She had apparently been wearing a forest green plaid button-up earlier, but out here in the warmth of the park, she had taken it off and tied it loosely around her hips.  It was like a completely different side of Sam than Kara had ever seen. 

Then their eyes met, brown recognizing blue.  Kara waved shyly.  As she walked towards Sam, a couple of things became obvious.  First, Lena had clearly told Sam to be here—she was the “fate” at work.  Second, whatever nerves and worries were haunting her mind, her body was not conflicted in the least.  She could feel the warmth of excitement blossoming through her.  Sam walked right up to her and came to a halt to stand in front of Kara, close enough that Kara could smell fragrant fruity notes of her shampoo.  She could have reached up and kissed Sam right now without taking a single step forward.  _Yup, definitely taller than me._

“Kara Danvers!  What a wild and crazy coincidence that I would happen to find you here this afternoon.”  Sam’s wicked grin hid (or tried to hide) a general sense of nervousness that Kara could read in her body language.

“Hi Sam!”  Kara didn’t even try to hide the anticipation in her smile.  “I’m gonna go out on a limb here and guess that a little bird suggested you go for a walk in the park?”

“Okay well now I’m going to think of Lena as a little bird forever, thank you for that.  I’m guessing you mentioned to her that you would be in the park?  Unless … Kara Danvers, did you use your girlfriend to covertly get me here yourself?”  Kara’s eyes widened, and she stuttered out what was meant to be a denial but probably sounded more like nonsense.  Sam cut her off slyly, “Damn, that would’ve been kinda hot.”

This did nothing to help Kara’s flailing.  “Sam, it’s really not fair when you do that to me.”  She tried to adopt her best pout but wasn’t quite sure she nailed it.

“Oh, I know.  But it’s so much fun.  Plus, it helps me fight my own nervousness.”  Sam grabbed Kara’s hand and pulled softly.  “Wanna go for a walk?”  Kara nodded and started walking, hand-in-hand with Samantha Arias.  She was a little surprised by Sam’s frankness, admitting to her own nervousness.  It was almost soothing.

“So, what else did the little bird tell you?”  Kara wanted to get a sense of where they were starting this conversation before she jumped into any admissions she couldn’t take back.  Also she needed Sam to keep talking so that Kara didn’t become fixated on the feel of their hands intertwined together.  She felt as though there was electricity flowing from Sam’s hand into her, in the best possible way.

“No no no, that’s not important right now.  Maybe later.  For now, let’s just keep it simple.  How’s your day been?”  _Simple.  Okay.  You can do simple, Kara._ They were walking slowly, casually.  Just two friends catching up, enjoying the park together.  Two friends, just casually holding hands.  Simple.

“Things were pretty dead at the DEO, so I met up with Alex, Lucy, and Vasquez for lunch and drinks.  Then things got undead at the DEO, so they abandoned me.  And it was such a gorgeous day that I wanted to hang out in the park.  So here I am.”

“Have those two dummies finally started dating or what?”

Kara bounced excitedly, accidentally squeezing Sam’s hand in her enthusiasm.  Rather than get awkward about it, she focused on her answer.  “No!  But also yes!!  Alex and I basically cornered each of them separately to tell them they were being dumb.  Then we went off on our own.  They were looking pretty cozy right before Alex stole them away for super secret black ops stuff.”

Sam turned her head just long enough to flash a smile at Kara.  “So, which knucklehead did you take, Lucy or Vasquez?”

“Lucy.”

“That cutie?  Did she go with the whole boss excuse routine?”  Kara grinned.  All this time being nervous about maybe possibly having this conversation with Sam, and it was like she had completely forgotten why she wanted to have the conversation in the first place.  Sam was so fun.  Had already become such an important part of their lives.

“ ** _Of course_** she did!  She was all ‘we both know what’s going on, but I’m her boss and I don’t wanna make the first move so I’m waiting on her, but she hasn’t made a move and so she must think us dating is a bad idea.’”  Blah, blah.  And I was just like, ‘hey why the heck are you telling me, tell her.’  All they need to do was talk to each other openly about what they wanted and what they were afraid of.”

Sam elbowed her gently without halting their ambling pace.  “Hey, you know that’s good advice that would probably apply to **_other_** situations.”

“You know, I was actually just thinking that myself.”  Kara grinned but kept her face forward.  “Something you want to share, Samantha?”

Sam snorted.  “Oh, that’s how you wanna play it, Blondie?  Fine.  I’ll be the brave one.”  She drew a steadying breath before continuing.  “Since me holding your hand while we walk is apparently too subtle.  And my regular flirting with you is apparently too subtle.  And the obvious chemistry between us is apparently too subtle.  I guess I should tell you that I have a massive crush on you, Kara Danvers.” 

Kara knew it was coming, and still her stomach immediately began flipping and flopping in the best and worst sort of anxiety.  She wasn’t exactly sure which direction she wanted to take the conversation, so she decided to take her own advice and just be honest.  “Cool.  Cool cool cool.  So, here’s the thing.  Do you wanna talk first about how the feeling is mutual or about how I have a girlfriend I love more than the world and who also happens to be your best friend and also your ex-girlfriend, now that I’m thinking about it?”

“I’m sorry, but all I could hear you saying was that you like me, and I’m really sorry if I kinda tuned the rest out for a minute.”  Kara felt a sudden lightness in the woman next to her and wondered what all had been weighing her down.  “Something something something, girlfriend, love, complications, is that it?”

“That’s the gist, yeah.”  Kara could feel the ramble coming on but was powerless to stop herself.  “I’ve never been in love like I am with Lena.  It’s amazing.  Being with her changes my entire perspective on life, like everything is more vivid and beautiful and warm.  I was just starting to get the hang of that, of being in a serious relationship for the first time, and then **_you_** came along.  And nothing changed with Lena, if anything my feelings for her have grown since meeting you.  But I can’t stop thinking about you.  About how your brazenness puts me at ease even as it drives me up a wall.  About how incredible your mind is.  About the smell of your shampoo when we stand too close.  About that spark when you took my hand that night in your car.”  Kara sighed, a little frustrated.

“What am I supposed to do with that?!  I barely know how to have one relationship, much less two, even if Lena isn’t completely freaked out by it.  I don’t know what to do with all these feelings, especially when I know you have them too.  It’s not like we can just keep being friends and ignore it.  I mean … I don’t know how you and Lena did it, dated for so long then somehow transitioned into being best friends.  I don’t know if I could do that.  But you and I **_aren’t_** dating.  We’re friends!  Except that spark has always kinda been there the whole time we’ve been friends, right?  I’m not crazy about that?” 

Kara silently thanked Rao that Sam understood a rhetorical question when she heard it and didn’t try to interrupt while Kara caught her breath.  “And so Lena and I talked about it, and it’s confusing to me and a little scary but it isn’t something I can run from.  And it isn’t something she wants me to run from.  But I have no idea what that means, or what we all do about it.  I’m just trying to be honest here, and I’m rambling on and on like I always do when I have a ton of feelings I don’t quite understand.  And there’s just no … there’s no example here.  No movie I can watch or fairy tale I can read that will help me understand how I can feel this way, much less how **_we_** can turn these feelings into something good for all of us. I just—”

Now Sam did interrupt.  “Breathe, Kara.  Breathe.  I get it.  Honestly, I could’ve let you keep going for a while because you’re so damn cute when you get like this.  But how about I try to reassure you instead, yeah?”  Kara rolled her eyes, but playfully.  “There **_are_** examples out there if you know where to look, maybe not in fairy tales or rom coms—which side note, is bullshit, but that’s a rant for another day.  But I promise you, being in love with multiple people is not this weird, unheard of thing.  Monogamy’s actually a fairly new concept if you think about the long history of human civilization holistically.’  She stopped their progress, turned to Kara, and placed both hands on her shoulders.  “Let’s sit here on this bench, and you let me ramble a bit, okay?”

They sat on a nearby bench.  Sam sat close but not so close that it was distracting.  She had a flirty but contemplative expression on her face, as if she was trying think of the most salacious way to start whatever it was she wanted to say.  Then she shrugged, so slightly it had to have been just for herself, as if unhappy with the options she had come up with.  Instead she leaned in slightly, almost conspiratorially.

“What if I told you that there are a ton of people out there who don’t see romantic or sexual relationships as all that different from familial or friend relationships?”  Kara’s nose crinkled in confusion.   “Just go with me here.  It’ll make sense.  You’ve grown really close to your adopted family, right?”  Kara nodded.  “I’ve seen how you and Alex are.  You love each other so much—you’re each other’s rock.  You’d do anything for each other.  And you love Eliza too, right?” 

Kara considered, trying to get ahead of Sam’s logical train but failing to do so.  She nodded again.  “Right!  And it’s more or less the same **_sort_** of love you hold for Alex—as opposed to the sort of love you feel for Lena, I mean.  Kara nodded almost subconsciously, seeing what Sam meant.  “But the fact that you love Alex so very much doesn’t preclude you from having a similar love for Eliza.  They aren’t mutually exclusive.  In some ways, because you **_all_** love each other, it only strengthens those bonds.  And it’s the same with your friends!  You love each of them in similar, but subtly different ways.  In different measures and for different reasons.  But you never run out of that sort of love either.”

Now she saw where this was going, and Kara felt her whole face brighten with the recognition.  Sam smiled in return.  “You’re saying my love for Lena doesn’t preclude me from experiencing a similar love for someone else.”  Kara blushed as she realized what she had just said.  “Or you know, **_like_**.  Attraction.  Whatever.” 

She was sure Sam would tease her about the flub, but she didn’t.  She just winked.  “Yes, that’s what I’m saying.  I’m also saying that all these ideas about monogamy, jealousy, possessiveness—it’s all a bunch of nonsense brainwashing by society.  Which isn’t to say that some people don’t find happiness with one major romantic relationship in their life.  But as far as I’m concerned, that’s unnecessarily limiting.” 

Sam ran a finger through Kara’s hair.  “Take you for example.  You’re super duper in love with Lena, and it’s just about the cutest thing ever.  But that doesn’t stop the butterflies in your stomach when I play with your hair, does it?”  The boldness of Sam’s words was intoxicating, and she was 100 percent right about the affect her hand was having right now.  “I’ve noticed the couple of times your eyes lingered on my lips, even if neither of us acknowledged it.  I’m guessing you’re as curious to know what my lips taste like, feel like, as I am about yours.”

It took all of Kara’s willpower not to nod enthusiastically, or instead just interrupt Sam’s speech by tackling her and getting the answer to that question.  _Rao, how does she do this to me?_

“My point is … none of that has anything to do with Lena.  It doesn’t detract from your love for her.  It doesn’t make you any less attracted to her.  You are capable of more—your love isn’t limited in that way.  So why should you have to ignore these feelings?  Pretend you don’t want to kiss me?  Or worse, feel bad for that desire?”

Sam’s hand was still playing with Kara’s hair, sending tiny shockwaves through her body.  “I get that maybe this is a new concept for you, something you haven’t really seen reflected in society.  Our society kinda sucks in that way.  Always trying to put limits on love.  But I promise you plenty of people out there experience the same thing you’re feeling right now, and build happy, if unconventional, lives around multiple romantic and/or sexual relationships.  I’m one of those people.”  Sam paused, momentarily almost mournful, sad.  “Or … I’d like to be.”

Kara really wanted to wrap Sam’s face in both her hands and tell her that she was deserving of all the love in the world.  Instead she settled for stroking Sam’s elbow softly.  That got an even softer smile in return.  “I promise my ramble is almost over.  I guess what I’m trying to say is that this isn’t really as complicated as you think it is.  I like you, Kara.  I really like you.  If you weren’t with Lena, I would’ve asked you out the first night we met.  But you **_are_** with Lena, and I would never hurt Lena.  Which is why once it became clear that what I feel for you isn’t just attraction, hell it isn’t even just a little crush or anything—I knew once I figured that out, that I would need to talk to Lena.  And to you.  Communication is vital.”

Kara was vaguely aware that they were closer to each other than when they first sat down.  “Okay so then what did you and the little bird discuss?”  She felt a little bit of Supergirl confidence seeping into her at this point, and thought the new nickname for Lena was too delightful to just let go. 

“Probably a lot of the same stuff you two discussed in Midvale.  She wanted to know how serious my feelings were, and I wanted to know how Lena would react to my feelings.  I was terrified that she would be hurt, even though she already knew that I’m poly.”  Kara hadn’t heard that word before, but context clues were sufficient for her to decipher it.  “I didn’t even let myself hope that maybe there was a possibility you and I might be able to date.  I just knew I needed to be honest with Lena and check in on her feelings.”

Sam paused, her eyes watery but joyful.  “Do you have any idea how happy you make her?  I don’t know how much you two talked in Midvale, or what’s in the water there, but she came back so much braver and stronger than when she left.  She knows the love you two share is unshakable, and she just wants you to be happy.  For me to be happy.  I think if we find some happiness in each other, Lena would be overjoyed with that.  Did she say anything like that to you?”

The last line was almost whispered, and Sam’s eyes were so close to Kara’s own.  She could feel—taste—Sam’s words as much as she could hear them now.  She found herself answering in a whisper as well.  “Something like that.  We agreed that whatever happens, it doesn’t detract from our relationship.  That we love each other.  And that I should talk to you about my feelings for you.  I think all three of us should talk, and soon, but …”  Sam’s eyes were still fixed on hers, even though both were gazing at the other through heavily lidded eyes.  “She told me to follow my heart.”

Kara could almost feel Sam’s lips on hers as she answered, “And what does your heart want, Kara?”

“I—”

Their lips met, and Kara couldn’t say who had crossed that final tiny distance.  The kiss was soft and gentle.  Tentative.  Just a first taste.  Just breathing each other in.  Their lips couldn’t have been joined for more than a few seconds, but Kara’s face pulled back in a daze.  As if she had been lost for hours in the most pleasant park in the city, just her and Sam.

They locked eyes again, faces not quite so close but still leaning into each other.  Kara became aware that Sam’s hand had gone from her hair to her shoulder.  Kara’s eyes fluttered down to Sam’s lips, which she now knew— ** _knew_** —were oh so kissable.  The corners of Sam’s mouth were lifted ever so slightly, in a smirk somewhere between teasing and dumbfounded.  Kara had no idea what to say next and all that came out was a soft, “Okay.”

Sam’s hand moved back to her hair, and this time Kara shuddered visibly at the shocks it sent through her.  Her face immediately warmed in a wild blush, and Sam chuckled.  “You’re so easy, Blondie.  This is gonna be fun.”

Kara couldn’t even pretend to be exasperated.  She just sighed happily.  Then her stomach got jumpy again.  “Are you busy tonight?”

“I’ve gotta go pick up Ruby soon, and then we’ve got dinner and homework and hanging out, but why don’t you and Lena come over to my place around 9, for a nightcap.”  Sam’s grin went from giddy to sultry so immediately that Kara almost gasped.  “And by nightcap, I mean a drink.  Not sex.  In case that wasn’t obvious.”  She winked, fully aware that Kara would never have interpreted ‘nightcap’ that way.  _Not so soon, anyway._   “The three of us can talk, figure out where we go next.  What everyone is comfortable with.  What happiness looks like for each of us.”

The glee was back, flooding her body with warmth.  “Little Bird and I will be there.”

“You’re not gonna let that go, are you?”

“Nope!  Too cute!” 

Sam grinned, but didn’t admit the obvious truth that Kara was right.  She asked, “Walk me to my car?” 

“I’d love to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really really wanted to include a reference to Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, since it's the only quasi-mainstream film I've ever seen that treats polyamory like it is normal and good. But I can't have DC Comics exist within the DC Comics universe, now can I?


	13. Communication isn't that complicated, really

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara visits Lena immediately after leaving Sam at the park, and later that night, the three of them chat about the future of their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there's been a lot of talking the past couple of chapters, but this is important stuff for our ladies to work out. I promise the next chapter will be more action-oriented.

** Chapter 13 **

Lena was back at the office, but still in her casual clothes.  Jess had orders that she was not to be disturbed.  She preferred to project a certain image at work, but she hadn’t wanted to change and hadn’t wanted to head home yet either.  Trying to focus on her work, get some things done.  Trying not to check her phone too compulsively.  She did a pretty decent job of it, keeping herself distracted until she heard the characteristic swoosh of Kara’s cape as she came to land on the balcony.  Lena knew her girlfriend well and expected that she’d show up as soon as she left Sam.  She got up from her desk and met Kara on the balcony.  “Supergirl!  To what do I owe the honour?”

Kara rolled her eyes, then rushed forward and picked Lena up.  Lena shouted and giggled in surprise, reveling in the warmth and strength of Kara’s hug.  She could feel the joy radiating off of Kara.  “Put me down!”  Back on her feet, she narrowed her eyes at Kara.  “My my, Supergirl, so enthusiastic.”

“Lena!  Stop it with the Supergirl stuff.  It’s just us, you goof.”  Kara couldn’t stop smiling,  Lena couldn't resist teasing her.

“Well, did you run into anyone at the park?”

Kara turned and gaped at Lena, as if surprised she was still sticking with the charade.  “You know full well **_exactly_** who I ran into at the park, Lena Keirnan Luthor!  Enough with your games!”  It was quite the sight to be scolded by Kara in full Supergirl regalia, hands on her hips and everything. 

“You’re middle-naming me?  I try to have a little fun, play a little matchmaker, and that earns me the middle name?”  Lena knew she was using humour to keep herself from thinking about the tightness of her chest, to keep her heartbeat from giving her anxiety away to Kara’s super hearing.

“Oh **_please_** , you know your middle name is beautiful.”  Kara paused to kiss Lena’s forehead.  “Matchmaker, huh?”  Kara looked right into her eyes, and her face shifted.  “Lena, tell me what’s going on in your head right now.”

 _Welp.  I tried._ “Kara, really it’s fine.  I’m just nervous, okay?  I was trying to hide an escalated heartbeat.  The anticipation, I think, of hearing about your afternoon.”  She wrapped her arm around Kara’s waist.  “I love you.  I want to hear about how your conversation with Sam went.”

Kara’s eyes were back on hers, searching.  Lena smiled widely, trying to reassure her.  She knew that her anxiety was merely a physiological response, a reaction to the unknown.  But she meant it.  She was dying to know how it went.  “Kara!  Seriously, you’re going to kill me with anticipation.”

The worry wasn’t completely gone from Kara’s face, but she took Lena at her word.  Nerves apparently overtaking her, Kara blurted out, as if all one word, “Lena-we-kissed-and-it-was-really-good-but-I’m-not-sure-if-it-was-okay-are-you-okay-I-already-screwed-up-didn’t-I-oh-no-oh-no—”

Kara’s stream of consciousness was interrupted by wild laughter.  Given that they were the only two people on the balcony, Lena had to assume it was her own laughter.  As her mind caught up to her body's realization of just how hilarious the whole thing was, she tried to speak.  “Kara. … Kara, I …”  Lena gave up, waiting for her laughter calm before trying to speak again.

“Kara.  You’re fucking adorable.  I love you so much.  Thank you.  That was just what I needed.”  Kara looked like she couldn’t decide between being happy that the ice was broken or angry that her girlfriend was laughing at her.  Lena nodded her head towards the balcony door, and Kara followed her inside the office, where they cuddled up on the couch.  Lena began stroking Kara’s hair as she asked, “So you just couldn’t resist the temptation of those soft Arias lips, huh?”

At this point, Kara was too busy floundering in her own awkwardness to worry any further about Lena's feelings.  Lena just kept playing with Kara’s Supergirl curls as if she hadn’t said anything inflammatory, preventing Kara from getting up from the couch.  The best reaction the blonde could muster was throwing her hands out dramatically as she sputtered, “You said follow my heart!  And she was leaning in, and it was all really romantic, and she smelled so nice, and Lena her lips were just … Rao!  It just happened.  Just felt right.  But it was just the one kiss!  Just one brief, soft kiss.  But sweet.”  Kara craned her neck so she could look at Lena in the eyes again, and Lena smiled, hoping to signal to Kara that she hadn’t done anything wrong.  “Promise me you’re okay with that.”

“I promise.”  Lena felt no hesitation.  It was uncomfortable listening to her girlfriend talk about kissing her best friend, but otherwise it sounded beautiful.  She was surprised to find that she didn’t even have to try—she was genuinely happy for them.  “I’m assuming you actually talked to each other at some point—tell me about that.”

“Well … it turns out you're actually a pretty great matchmaker.  She told me how she feels about me, helped me feel more comfortable with the whole loving you but also liking her thing … and I told her how I feel, too.”  Kara’s head was back on Lena’s shoulder, but Lena could tell from the volume of her voice that she was back to being timid and unsure of herself.

“I’m proud of you, love.  I know how nervous you were about having that talk.”  Lena kissed the top of her head.  “So, where did you leave it?  What’s the plan?”  She felt stupid phrasing it that way, like Kara was giving Lean a report on some mission she and Sam were on.  She didn’t really know how else to phrase it, though.  Uncharted territory and all.

“Are you okay with going over to Sam’s around 9?  So that the three of us can talk?”    _That's fast_ , Lena reacted.  But it made sense.  Better not to leave any murky areas, especially early on.  “I just want to be sure that we are all comfortable, that we’re on the same page.  As much as I enjoyed kissing Sam, I hated worrying the whole flight over here that maybe I had overstepped a line or done something that might hurt you.”

“I love that you worried about me, darling, but really you’re doing okay.  I could’ve been more specific in my text messages to you, but I was trying to be coy about Sam meeting you in the park.  I had imagined that there might possibly be kissing involved, if everything went just right.”  Kara sighed happily, and Lena grinned.  “How about you and I grab some takeout, and we’ll watch a couple of episodes of _Grace and Frankie_ before we head to Sam’s?” 

Kara didn’t even have to say yes.  She just stood up and beamed at Lena.  After sticking her head out the door to tell Jess to go home and watching to be sure she made it to the elevator, Lena skipped over to Supergirl’s waiting arms.  “You know, that raises the question: when are you going to tell Sam about all this?”  Lena traced the outline of Kara’s family crest on her chest as she asked.

“I mean … we’re in agreement that we can trust her with that, right?”  Lena nodded firmly.  She would’ve told Sam ages ago, but it wasn’t her secret to tell.  “So, soon.  Probably not tonight.  We’ve probably got enough to discuss as it is.  But soon.  You don’t think it’ll scare her off, do you?”

Lena could hear the concern in Kara’s voice, making it clear that she was already invested.  The thought honestly hadn’t even occurred to Lena that it would be a problem.  “Darling, I doubt it.  I can’t make guarantees, obviously, but hell, for all we know she’s already figured it out.  She’s almost as smart as I am.”

They took off, but not before Kara glared at her.  “She’s brilliant, but she doesn’t have all the same background knowledge you did when we met, plus she hasn’t really interacted with Supergirl at all.”

Lena shrugged in Kara’s arms.  “Honestly, darling, who wouldn’t want to date Supergirl?”  _Date._   It was the first time Lena had admitted that Sam and Kara dating was a possibility.  “We’ll just play it by ear, okay?”

Kara dropped Lena off at the loft, before heading out to grab their dinner.  It was always faster when Supergirl got the food.  Lena turned on the TV and grabbed their favourite cuddling blanket out of the linen closet while she waited for Kara’s return.  She smiled as she surveyed the apartment.

The only major change was the desk Lena had set up on the other side of the half wall delineating the living area from the bedroom area.  That was the compromise she and Kara had established—Lena couldn’t always avoid late work nights, but she promised that she would bring work home with her when that was the case.  Lena also had her own clothes rack against the window of the room, in keeping with the adorable eccentricities Kara had established here long before Lena became a part of her life.  They had a closet and a dresser, but Kara insisted that the racks added to the ambience.  Lena couldn’t really disagree.

 Lena settled on the couch just as Kara reappeared at the window.  Kara smiled brightly, arms full of Chinese food, and Lena greeted her.  “Welcome home, darling.”

~~~~

To the extent Lena had harboured any fear or nervousness, she could see as they walked up to Sam’s front door that such concerns were misplaced.  To her credit, however, she hadn’t expected that her casual reference to the loft as ’home’ and ‘our place’ would be a major turn on for Kara.  Sex with Kara was such a grounding experience for Lena.  Something about Kara’s touch soothed every raw nerve in Lena’s being.  Not the everyday touches—her hand in Lena’s, her arm around Lena’s waist, her hair on Lena’s shoulder—but the overwhelming touch of Kara’s body, her presence, surrounding Lena.  Filling her.  Pressed against every part of her body.  On top of her.  Inside of her.  Kara filled her, not only with pleasure but with strength.  Everything was right in the world when Kara made love to Lena.

 _Grace and Frankie_ forgotten, Kara had insisted that they re-christen every surface of ‘our home,’ and Lena felt as though she could conquer the world.  Just before they knocked on the door, a whim overtook Lena.  She pressed Kara firmly against the wall of the entryway, catching her eyes in an intense look for the briefest of moments before her lips were on Kara’s again.  Kara stifled a moan, and Lena grinned mischievously into the kiss.  “Ready for this?” she whispered in Kara’s ear, producing the faintest shudder.  Kara pushed her a few inches back and fixed her with a look that was both full of desire and scolding.  “What?  A little **_playful_** energy can only be a good thing for this sort of conversation, trust me darling.  Now—” she stepped back, suddenly appearing fully calm and collected, “—should we knock?”  Kara rolled her eyes, but her smile said yes.

Sam welcomed them in warmly, but Lena recognized a glint in her eye that suggested she might have been near enough to the door that she overheard some of that.  Lena winked at her, just in case.  Seeing a bottle of wine and three glasses already awaiting them at the bar, Lena took the lead.  “You two go sit, I will bring the wine.” 

She had her back to the couch for only a moment, but she turned to find that Sam and Kara had very conspicuously left the middle seat open for her.  As she set the wine glasses down and began pouring, she fixed them both with a look that made it clear they were being ridiculous.  “You know, I really don’t have to play hallway monitor here in the middle.” 

That’s when Sam broke into a smile.  “You’re really, actually okay with this, aren’t you?” 

Lena rolled her eyes.  “That would appear to be the case, yes.”  She squeezed Sam’s knee as she took her seat in between the two.  “You know me so well.”  She took a sip of her glass, and the others followed her lead.  The silence was surprisingly comfortable.  Lena sat her glass down on the coffee table, then put a hand on a knee on either side of her.  “So!  What are we going to do about this?”  She squeezed their knees on the word ‘this.’

Kara appeared to be waiting on Sam.  If Lena had to guess, she was doing her best to defer to the other two since she was the one who potentially stood to be dating both of them.  So like Kara to try to make sure everyone else was comfortable first.  But Sam jumped in, eager to prove how not weird she was being.

“Actually, now that you mention it, I was kinda hoping to ask your girlfriend out on a date.”  Kara immediately got all giggly, and Lena smiled at her.  _She is so precious_.  Then a thought occurred to her, and she glanced over at Sam.  Sure enough, Sam was looking at Kara with the same sort of adoration.

“Kara, darling, should we take it from your delightful giggling that you would like to say yes to Sam’s proposition?”

“Yes,” was the whispered reply.  “But umm … I don’t know.  How do we do this?  Should there be some ground rules?”  Lena turned her gaze to Sam, who was the closest thing to an expert Lena had on open relationships. 

Sam took her cue, grabbing her wine and standing to face Lena and Kara.  She slipped smoothly into casual Sam presentation mode.  “You know, personally, I’m not a huge fan of rules.  And knowing Lena fairly well, I’m guessing she probably won’t be either, not once we get the hang of things.  Assuming … actually, you know let’s start there.” 

Sam paused for a sip of wine, and while her eyes remained on Sam, Kara’s hand slipped into Lena’s.  “Let’s be sure we’re all going into this with the same expectations.  I feel like probably we’ve each already had a version of this conversation, but not all together like this.  I’ll start.”  She licked her lips.  “When I say that I want to **_date_** Kara, I mean that I want to see if there’s a chance for a romantic—” her eyes shifted nervously from Kara to Lena, “—and hopefully sexual, relationship with Kara.  Something possibly serious, possibly long-term.  If it works out that way. There’s a spark here, and I want to chase it wherever it leads.”

This was one of Lena’s favourite things about Sam.  She was so skilled at cutting through the bullshit and just saying what needed to be said.  It took a little bit of a weight off Lena’s shoulders as she chimed in next, releasing Kara’s hand so she’d have full range of motion as she spoke.  “And I want you both to have the freedom to explore ... that, without feeling any sort of guilt or like you’re betraying me or something.  I just … don’t want to be left behind, and I don’t want to—”

Lena stopped because she didn’t feel like she had any good way of phrasing what was on her mind.  Kara retook her left hand in both of hers, nodding in support.  “Fuck.  I don’t know how to phrase this is a way that doesn’t sound insecure and possessive, so please understand that I’ve got my insecurities mostly under control.  My thing is ... I don’t want to mess up what I already have.  Obviously, relationships change and grow, and I want  _ **that**_ , but I cannot,  _ **cannot** _ lose either of you.  Does that make sense?”

“Of course.”

“Yeah, totally.”

Lena hadn’t quite meant to get that raw and honest that quickly, but Sam and Kara’s instant agreement was soothing.  Her gaze shifted to Kara, who nervously murmured, “Yeah, same, I guess?  Umm.  I want to find out what this spark between me and Sam is.  If—” she looked at Lena, tightening her grip on Lena’s hand, “—if there’s a chance that Sam and I could have something even a little like what you and I have, I want to find that out.  But!”  She looked at Sam.  “Lena is my world.  I mean so is Alex, in a different way.  But my priority is Lena.”

            She stood up, talking her way through her feelings.  “Maybe that changes over time, I don’t know, but … I can’t, I _**won’t** _ hurt her.  I want to see where you might fit into my life, where I might fit into yours, but that is **_with_** Lena.  **_Not_** to her exclusion.” 

Sam settled down next to Lena, closer than she had been before.  Lena could see the impish glint in her eye.  _Oh no, where is this going?_   She put her arm around Lena, and the left side of her mouth quirked upward as she asked Kara, “Just so I’m sure, you’re not saying that you want me to date you **_and Lena_** _,_ as like ... a package deal, right?”

Kara nearly choked on her wine.  Lena didn’t even know that was possible.  “No!  I mean—” she glanced back and forth between Lena and Sam, a little confused, “—if there’s something going on between you two, I’m not gonna get in the way of that or anything.”  Lena couldn’t keep the grin off her face as Kara twisted herself in knots, trying not to say the wrong thing.  Then Sam busted out laughing, pulling away from Lena.

“Kara! Your face is everything.  I wasn’t actually suggesting that.  Lena and I are much better as friends; I think we’re both in agreement on that.”  Lena nodded with Sam, even though some tiny voice in the back of her head had some lingering questions regarding that subject.  “I just wanted to be sure.  The way you said ‘ ** _with_** Lena’—I didn’t know if you were proposing a threesome or what.”

Lena chuckled as Kara blushed wildly.  Exactly as Sam had surely intended.  Lena flashed her a scolding look while waiting for Kara to respond. 

“Oh!  No.  Gosh, Sam.  I just mean.”  Kara’s face was still bright pink.  Lena wished she could see the visuals going on in her girlfriend’s head right now.  “I meant ... Lena and I just moved in together.  We’re in a great place.  I’m not giving up on anything with her, even though I want to explore things with you.  That’s what I meant.”

“Totally!  I think we’re all in the same place then.  Kara and I want to take a shot on seeing if our relationship can be something sustainably more than friends, but no one wants that to detract from the beautiful thing you two have going here.  Right?”

Lena nodded, and Kara did the same.  Something about the way Kara's boundless blue eyes looked at Sam struck a chord with Lena.  She felt her chest tighten ever so slightly, just one pang.  Then it released, and she felt a sort of warmth replace it.  Her girlfriend looked at her best friend with such affection.  Lena's breath caught in her throat as her mind flashed back to Midvale, and then Metropolis.  She’d experienced so many unexpected and wonderful things with these two—what was one more?

“Kara, come sit back down.”  Lena stood as she said it, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.  Kara took the hint, sliding in nervously next to Sam.  Sam grinned, then reached her hand up behind Kara towards Lena.  She grinned in return and gave Sam the requested high five.  Kara almost looked put off by this display, muttering, “Holy wow, you are such dorks.”

Lena snorted.  “Hey, you’re the one who likes us.”

They cuddled up together like they had so many times in the past few months.  Only now there was a different context.  Sam’s hand on Kara’s knee **_meant_** something.  Lena topped off their glasses.  As she leaned back onto the couch, Kara shifted so that her back was leaning on Lena, and her knee rested on Sam’s leg.

After a sip, Sam turned back to the topic at hand.  “So, I’m thinking about Kara’s question about ground rules.  Is that what we want, rules?  Like … how we interact with each other, what sorts of things everyone is comfortable with, and what sorts of things we think are important that we all talk about?”  Kara looked confused, so Sam elaborated.  “For example, some people in Lena’s position don’t want to hear about what their girlfriend does with her other partner.  Or some have a no sleepovers rule.  Stuff like that.” 

Lena could feel her brow furrow.  Sam was right; she didn’t like rules.  _Sam doesn’t have any right to tell me how I interact with Kara._ “That sounds so harsh and restrictive.  That’s no way to build a genuine relationship with someone … why do people agree to something like that?”

Sam shrugged.  “It’s not my bag of tea, I’ll tell you that.  But for some people, it’s the best way of dealing with nagging insecurities and jealousy issues.  Or a way to try to protect existing relationships.  Some people swear by it.  Personally, I’d rather not do it that way.  I don’t want to hurt you, Lena, or make you uncomfortable, but I don’t really care to deal with some artificial ceiling on how far my relationship with Kara can progress.”

Lena was surprised how relieved she felt.  The idea of trying to tell Sam what she and Kara should or shouldn’t do together felt so wrong, so artificial.  Like taking something beautiful and twisting it into something shameful. 

Apparently seeing a similar reaction on Kara’s face, Sam replied, “Okay, no rules.  So then … I guess we just treat me and Kara like anyone would treat a couple of people who start dating.  The only—”

Kara’s body jerked slightly, and Sam and Lena startled.  “Leeeeeeeeeena, now is **_not_** the time for tickles.”  Lena grinned, realizing what happened.  Her hand had been absentmindedly stroking Kara’s side, and she had hit that one spot just to the left of the small of her back. 

“Sorry, darling.  I didn’t do it on purpose.”  She winked at Sam from behind Kara’s head, as if to say ‘I’ll teach you about that spot later.’

Sam chuckled.  “You two are charming, you know that?  And Kara is ticklish?!”

“No, she isn’t!” Kara protested.  “Sam!  You were saying that we should just act like two people normally would when they start dating?  Even though, you know, I’m in a committed long-term relationship with my live-in girlfriend, the beautiful and powerful Lena Luthor?”

“Oh Kara has jokes now, too?  Okay then.”  Sam couldn’t stop smiling, and Lena felt such joy at seeing her friend’s happiness.  Sam ventured, “There’s no reason things shouldn’t develop more or less like they would if we were both single.  The difference—and it’s a big one, especially since Lena and I are so close—is that Lena deserves to be kept in the loop.  This can’t work unless we’re all completely honest with each other, about how we feel, what we mean to each other, et cetera.”

Lena agreed, mostly.  “That sounds a lot better, but also I don’t want either of you to feel like I am entitled to know every single little private personal thing that comes up between you.”  She felt comfortable enough to speak her thoughts as they occurred to her.  “It’s like … Alex and Kara have a super close relationship, but there are still boundaries, things that are just mine and Kara’s, that Alex doesn’t and shouldn’t know about.  I don’t see how this is any different.”

Sam smiled broadly.  “I knew you’d catch on to this quickly, Lee.  I agree 100 percent.”

“I think so, too!” Kara chimed in.  “I just … I also think it’s important not to keep things from each other without a good reason.” 

Sam leaned back, wine glass in hand.  “Just know that establishing and navigating those boundaries can be—probably **_will_** be—tricky.  It’ll take a lot of work from each of us, and we absolutely can’t do it unless we keep the lines of communication open.”

 _Shit._   A thought struck Lena, and it filled her with worry for Kara.  “We’re going to run into trouble with how public we want to be with this.  We should figure out how we’re going to tell people, but also … I mean, I’m a public figure, at least in National City.”  Sam winced, seeing where she was going with this.

“You’re worried about rumours, huh?  If people see me and Kara out on a date, that’s going to make it look like she’s cheating on you.” 

Lena nodded, chewing her lip nervously.  “Give me some time to think about that.  We may need a fucking media strategy.”  _Which is ridiculous._   Lena wasn’t sure she saw a way around it, though.  “What about Ruby and Alex?”

Kara tensed, and Lena wondered how much thought she had given to Alex's reaction.  Sensing her hesitation, Sam spoke up.  “Ruby already knows that you and Kara are together.  She’s already met Kara and knows that we’re friends, that we hang out.  I don’t see any reason to tell her anything, at least not at first.  If she asks a more specific question about the nature of our relationship, I’m fine with being open about it.  But we can cross that bridge when we get there.  How do you feel about that?”

Kara nodded slowly.  “I think that makes sense.  I’m not sure it’s so simple with Alex and Maggie.  Or any of our friends really.  I’m not ashamed or anything, but I have no idea how they’ll take it.  They might think we’re a bunch of weirdos.  But I mean … what’s our other option, just pretending we’re nothing more than friends during group hang outs?”

“I hate that idea, for the record.”  Sam sighed.  “But your concerns are valid.”

Kara sat up, turning so that she could look across at both Lena and Sam.  “Maybe … I don’t know.  Alex already knows some stuff, and if it comes up, are you both okay with me just being honest with her?”  Lena and Sam nodded.  Kara breathed deeply.  “But if she doesn’t ask … maybe I’ll wait until—”  Kara’s nose crinkled.

“It’s okay, Kara.”  Sam put a hand on her shoulder.  “Honesty, remember?”

Kara looked at Sam guiltily and asked, “Until after a few dates maybe?  I don’t want to rush into anything, and I don’t want to jinx it either, but we don’t know for sure where this is going.  We could have a terrible date and decide we actually **_should_** just be friends.”  Sam frowned just a little, but her eyes still sparkled.  “I mean!  I don’t think that will happen!  Heck, I wouldn’t even be considering something like this if I didn’t feel strongly, but I just.  We should … I don’t know, be reasonable about it?”

Sam rolled her eyes playfully.  “Blondie, that’s fine.  That’s what I would’ve suggested anyway.  Let’s be sure we have something to tell before we go telling everyone.”  Kara slipped her hand onto Sam’s, intertwining their fingers.  Then she took Lena’s hand in her other, searching her eyes to check in.  Lena smiled, and pulled Kara’s hand up so she could kiss it.  She wanted Kara to know that she was not **_just_** okay—she was happy about all of this.

Then Kara yawned, and loudly.  Sam and Lena both laughed, then Sam stood.  “Excellent point, Kara.  I don’t know about you two, but my boss made me skip work this afternoon, and I’ve got a **_lot_** to catch up on tomorrow.  Need my beauty sleep.”  Lena scowled at her, then grinned.  Kara stood and pulled her up beside her. 

“Wow Sam, you haven’t even asked Kara out yet, and you’re just gonna kick her out like that?  Smooth moves.”

Sam stuck her tongue out.  “Oh please, I’ve got moves you haven’t even heard of.  And I don’t need tips on how to ask this one out.”  She shifted her gaze to Kara, who grinned shyly.  “We’ll talk soon, yeah?”

Kara nodded, then Sam led them to the door.  She and Lena hugged tightly, and then Sam turned to Kara.  They both glanced at Lena, eyes searching her for, not permission, but maybe comfort.  Acceptance.  Lena just smiled at them and rolled her eyes, then they kissed each other goodbye.  Kara bounced a little in happiness, and Lena kept a hand on her to make sure she didn’t actually float off the ground.

“Get home safe, lovelies.”

“Good night, darling.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting a lot of hope from the comments that Lena and Sam will rekindle something soon, and I'll just say that if you're hoping for that, it's going to be a while. Kara at the middle of a 'V' between Sam and Lena is going to be the way things stay for a while. SuperReignCorp is still endgame.


	14. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Kara's first date

** Chapter 14 **

Sam couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this nervous about a date.  Probably because she didn’t really date, per se, but also because … it’s **_Kara_**.  She had played into her usual cockiness when she asked Kara out, but inside she was all butterflies.  It was such an odd feeling.  And now it had taken over her again as she got dressed. 

She had debated outfits for nearly an hour last night.  She had finally settled on a look she felt good about.  Black leather pants perfectly paired with even darker black suede over the knee wedge boots.  A thin, long-sleeved deep plum top that perfectly accented her cleavage without being over the top, under her grey wool herringbone trench coat.  She was wearing her hair down, but with it tucked behind her left ear to show off her favourite dangly gold earrings. 

Sam was picking Kara up in about 40 minutes and was in the process of finishing her makeup when Ruby walked in.  “Mom, you look so pretty!  And you smell so nice … does someone have a date?  Is that why Mrs. Queller is ‘hanging out’ with me today?  You know, I **_am_** fourteen.  I don’t **_need_** a babysitter.”

Sam shot Ruby her heaviest side eye.  “First of all, being fourteen is not a point in your favour.  I was quite the terror at your age.  You’ll just have to suck it up.  And don’t pretend you don’t have fun with Mrs. Queller.”  She turned back to her mirror to finish touching up her mascara.  “Second, no I don’t have a date.  I’m just hanging out with Kara.”

“Is Lena going too?”  Sam didn’t sense anything suspicious in Ruby’s tone.

“Nope, just me and Kara.  Lena is hanging out with her friend Winn.  She wouldn’t tell me what they were up to, except to say it was ‘some serious geek shit,’ and so **_obviously_** I had no interest in joining.”  She turned back to Ruby.  “And hey!  What did we agree to when it comes to swearing?”

Ruby sighed, having answered the question countless times already.  “They’re fine and normal and just words, but I still can’t use them around teachers and other adults unless I have your permission.  Yes, Mom, I remember.”

“Good.”  The doorbell rang, and Sam stood, grabbing her coat and purse.  Ruby followed her out of the room.  She welcomed Mrs. Queller inside, then addressed Ruby.  “I’ve gotta get going kiddo.  Gimme a hug.” 

Ruby hugged her fiercely, then added, “Yeah yeah, have fun on your **_not date_**.”  _Yeesh, maybe she does suspect something._   Sam’s only response was to roll her eyes.

“I left money for takeout, but Ruby should be fine on her own for lunch.  I’ll stay in touch and let you know when I’ll be home.”  Mrs. Queller nodded, and Sam headed out to the garage.  As she closed the door behind her, the butterflies struck up again.

~~~~

The butterflies had only intensified as Sam parked outside Kara’s building and took the elevator to her floor.  By the time she reached Kara’s door, she felt as though her heart was in her throat, and she paused before knocking, to collect herself.  _It’s just a date.  It’s just Kara.  You’ve hung out before, no big deal.  Stop freaking out, dummy.  You’ve got this._   Still nervous, but more bearably so, Sam knocked on the door.  And then all the butterflies were driven out by the image of the radiant figure who greeted her.

Kara was in a bold red A-line dress under an adorable pale pink (nearly white) moto jacket.  She was wearing cozy black tights that sheathed her long legs all the way down to a pair of simple black ankle boots, with a short, chunky heel.  Her golden hair was pulled back tightly on top into a ponytail in the back, but the majority of her hair cascaded down beneath, decorating her shoulders and back in a curtain of perfect curls.  Her bright pink lips looked outrageously kissable.  As Sam realized that she was staring, with her mouth agape no less, she blushed wildly. 

Moving to recover, she said, “Holy shit Kara, you look incredible.”  She caught Kara blushing as well as Sam moved in to hug her.  Having regained her poise, Sam lingered as she pulled back from the hug, just long enough to have Kara wondering if she might kiss her, but not quite long enough for Kara to take the initiative and do it herself.  _Not yet, Blondie.  Something to think about as the day progresses, though._  “Ready to go?”

Kara’s eyes lingered on Sam’s lips then snapped back up to her eyes as Kara replied with a grin, “Let’s do it!”  She closed and locked the door behind her, and Sam took her arm as they walked to the elevator.  “So, where are we going?”

“I’ll explain in the car, **_Kara_** ,” Sam sung, playing on the similar sounds of ‘car’ and ‘Kara,’  As they reached the SUV, she opened the passenger side door for Kara, earning herself a joking, “Such a gentleman.”  Sam grinned like an idiot as she walked over to the driver’s side and got in.

Once on the road, Sam glanced over at Kara and asked, “So, have you ever heard of escape rooms?”  Kara’s nose crinkled in bewilderment.

“Umm, no?  Should I have?”

Sam smiled and answered, “Yes, you definitely should have.  But I’ll take pity on you and explain, since an escape room is the first stop on our date.”  It was stupid, but Sam loved calling it a date.  “An escape room is a sort of team puzzle-solving adventure.  We’ll be locked in a room decorated to fit a theme with a backstory, and we’ll have a certain amount of time to try to escape from the room by solving a series of puzzles and riddles.  If you solve the room before you run out of time, a hidden door opens and lets us out.”

Sam continued glancing over as she explained and could see the excitement growing across Kara’s face.  “And if we don’t solve the room in time?”

“Then you won’t win the prize!  It’s quite obvious that you and I make a pretty good team, so I’m not worried.  But if we don’t solve it, you’ll never learn what sort of prize I have planned for you.  And I’ll probably have to end the date there.  So, no pressure.”  Sam smirked, but didn’t look over this time.

“So, you won’t tell me what the prize is?”

“Nope.”

“Well, at least if I get frustrated with you, I know how to get out of the date early.”  Kara’s tone was teasing, but Sam’s heart sunk just a little.  Kara would get the prize if they won the room or not, since the prize was the next stop on their date.  Even still, Sam reached over and put a hand on Kara’s thigh, mostly to reassure herself. 

“I’m pretty confident it won’t come to that.  I’m very datable.”  Kara’s finger began tracing along Sam’s hand softly.

“I’ll be the judge of that.”  They pulled into the parking lot of the large warehouse-like building.  The giant red and white sign above the front doors read ‘National City Escapes’ in a bold font designed to evoke a maze. 

As they walked towards the door, Sam explained, “Usually they require you to have a team of four to seven people, but I scored us a private room for just the two of us.  They warned me that it could be that much more challenging without extra teammates, but we can handle it, don’t you think?”

Kara smiled brightly, answering, “We do make a great team, after all.”  They were welcomed in by a tiny woman with bright red hair and way too much energy.  She explained that the room they would be solving was a vampire’s crypt. 

“This terrifying creature of the night has been stalking the sleepy town nearby for thousands of years.  You two are the latest vampire hunters—”

“Slayers!” Kara corrected her.  The redhead grinned and nodded enthusiastically.

“Yes, definitely.  As I was saying, you two are the **_slayers_** who have decided to end the vampire’s reign of terror once and for all.  Many who came before you have died in their attempts, but it’s possible that they have left behind valuable objects that could assist you in your endeavor.”  She paused, her eyes getting wide.  “If you don’t slay the vampire in the allotted time, you will still be allowed to exit the crypt, but you may not come back fully human.  I’m not sure the vampire could resist turning two awesome slayers such as yourselves.”

Kara hadn’t stopped grinning since they entered the building, and now she took Sam’s hand and squeezed it excitedly.  The redhead continued, “You’ll have forty minutes to solve the room.  Some of the puzzles will be mental, some physical, and some may be a combination of both.  Some puzzles are red herrings meant to distract you from your task, if you can complete the protective glyph, it will allow you to pick up extra time.  You get one free hint if you need it.  You can receive further hints after that, but they will cost you two minutes each.”

Looking at them both with eyebrows raised, she asked, “Any questions.”  Sam turned to Kara with the question in her eyes.  Kara shook her head.

“Nope!  We’ve got this.”  Sam squeezed her hand.  Then the redhead led them back into the building, past several doors, until they settled on one that was decorated with painted on bars.  “Here we are.  Once you enter, the timer starts.  The lights in the room will flash and you’ll hear an alarm at the 30-minute mark, 15-minute mark, and 5-minute mark.  Ready to go?”

Kara and Sam nodded in unison.  “Have fun you slayers!”

As the entered the room, the door clicked shut behind them.  The room was amazing.  It was a dark room lit by candles, with shimmering smoke or fog covering the floor.  The fog seemed to be glowing with a faint but haunting white light.  The floor, walls, and ceiling gave the appearance of light grey stone, and the central chamber was a square room framed by large arches from floor to ceiling.  Three of the archways opened to short, wide steps leading into raised side rooms.  A raised ornate pillar stood on both sides of each set of steps.  On the back wall of the room to their right was a large, elaborate coffin, and Sam was already sure that was their way out.  The room to the left featured two rectangular openings built into the wall, each with a skeleton in repose.

“Where do we start, Blondie?”  Kara gave her a look that said, ‘follow me,’ and led her to the right.  _She has the same idea about the coffin that I do._   On either side of the coffin were raised stone tables spanning the length of the wall.  Tucked into the left corner of the coffin room was a lightweight stone **_thing_** , like a rectangular plate with randomly stacked triangles on top of it. 

“I bet this is part of the protective glyph!” Kara gushed.

“Could be.  Let’s leave it for now, get a full understanding of the room.”  There were two boxes, one on either side of the coffin, but Sam tried them and they wouldn’t open.  They crossed the room to check out the skeletons.  Each had a cross resting on its chest and a stake by its hip.  “Bingo.  We’ll be needing these, obviously.”  She grabbed a stake and handed the other to Kara.  “By the way, we’re agreed that I’m Faith and you’re Buffy, right?”

“Obviously.  Just don’t try to make me rob any hunting supplies stores.”  Kara continued examining the bottom skeleton.  “There’s a scroll here!”  She unrolled it and read the words on the thick, yellowy parchment.  “Arch upon high, for the stars you seek are worth the reach.”  Immediately Kara and Sam looked up, examining the ceiling.  The frame of the arches stood out, so it was possible that something could rest on the lip of the frame.  Kara kept looking while Sam wandered back to the coffin side of the room.  She noticed something fixed to the arch on the side facing the coffin.

“Kara, I think I found it.”  She hopped to try to grab the object, which came loose at her touch and fell to the ground.  Sam momentarily lost it in the fog and bent down to search the floor with her hands.  Kara did the same, and they smiled at each other when their hands accidentally brushed.  “Got it!  It’s some sort of jewel I think.”  She held the small red ruby in her hand, but had no idea what to do with it yet.  She picked her stake back up, and they went back to the skeletons. 

As they walked away from the coffin, Sam was startled by the creepy growl that emitted from behind her.  “Shit!”  She jumped a little, and now Kara was laughing at her.  Sam glared at her in faux outrage.  “I’m gonna slay the hell out of that little shit.”

Kara paused at one of the pillars, something catching her eye.  “The bat flies above the wealthiest,” she read.

“That’s helpful,” Sam muttered.  “How do we know which dead guy was the wealthiest?”

“There are only two of them, let’s just search both.”  They did so, with Kara returning to the bottom skeleton while Sam worked around her to examine the skeleton at the top.  Sam was briefly distracted by the warmth of Kara’s body less than an inch from hers, and on a whim, she pressed herself into Kara’s back, pretending to be leaning in to look more closely at her skeleton.  Kara didn’t react except to subtly press back into Sam, and it shot a warm tingle through her body.  Then Kara reached out, finding another scroll.

“To break the curse, you must plunge.  No duh, scroll.  How else would you kill a vampire?”

Seeing the opportunity for a joke, Sam began listing alternative methods.  “Fire, sunlight, decapitation, force them to drink holy water … would you like me to go on?”  Kara turned suddenly so that they were facing each other. 

She seemed surprised by the proximity of their faces and took a sharp breath before looking up at Sam and whispering, “Ha ha, you’re so funny.” 

Sam wiggled her eyebrows and replied, “I really am, aren’t I?”  Kara rolled her eyes, then gestured for Sam to return her attention to the task at hand.  It was a real struggle not to just kiss her instead.  Sam found herself loving that she had several inches on Kara right then.  She was probably only maybe an inch taller than Kara, but her wedges created just the perfect height difference. 

Tearing herself away from that thought, Sam kept looking.  There were several candles, one of which was much larger than the others and red.  Otherwise, there was just the cross, scattered pieces of bone, and a hammer.  “I found a hammer, but I’m not seeing any bats.”  Both skeletons had several strings of garlic cloves,  and several stakes in addition to the ones Kara and Sam had taken.  She didn’t see how any of that would help right now.  

Giving up on the skeletons, Sam turned to the final raised room, which she had been carefully avoiding up until this point.  Not because she was scared of how creepy it was.  Not at all.  It featured nothing but a bare wall, on which was written in blood, ‘Fools were we to think that even the Earth’s finest vampire hunters could slay the Night’s King.’  Avoiding the blood-stained wall, Sam turned to one of the pillars framing its arch.  It had writing as well, which she read aloud.  “Holiness holds no power here and riches are little better.”

“Riches again?” Kara called out.  She hadn’t given up on the skeletons yet.  “Sam!  The one skeleton has a plain wooden cross, but the other has this shiny ornate silver one.  Maybe he’s the richest?”

“Maybe!  Did that lead you to the bat?”

“Nope!  Still nothing on that front.”  Kara wandered back to the coffin.  “Hey, doesn’t it seem suspicious that the floor is covered in fog?”

“Kara, you beautiful genius!  Let’s feel around on the floor and see if we can find anything.”  Daring to get a little closer to the wall, Sam knelt on the floor and began moving her hand around.

“I found a hole!  A small one!  Oooh, several actually.”

“Awesome!  Hey Kara, catch!”  Sam waited until Kara looked over at her, then tossed her the jewel.  As it flew through the air, the lights flashed and the alarm sounded.  Remarkably, it didn’t distract Kara from catching the jewel.  “Nice catch!  See if it fits in one of the holes.  Looks like we’ve got thirty minutes now.  Don’t forget we’ve got that glyph thingie to solve if we want extra time.”

“It fits!  Guess we need two more jewels.”  Kara sounded a little disappointed, as every step forward just seemed to open up more puzzles. 

Sam stood back up and looked for more writing on the other pillar on her side of the room.  “The heart rules even kings.”

“Did you say ‘heart?’  I think I saw a heart somewhere. …  Yes!  Sam, this red candle by the skeleton has a heart shape on it!  Do you see any other red candles?”  They both started looking.  Sam found one with a crown on it, on one of the two smaller pillars in front of the blood-stained wall.  Kara found the other two over by the coffin, one with a cross and the other with a bat.  “I found our bat!”  Kara’s voice was full of glee as she carried the candle back to the room with the skeletons.  She looked around for where she was supposed to put it. 

Sam watched her, pausing in her activities as she savoured how adorable Kara looked playing slayer.  Then something caught her eye.  “Kara, try putting the candle in the sconce on the wall behind that pillar.  Wasn’t that the pillar that had the words about the bat?”

Kara literally hopped over to the scone, and the candle fit perfectly.  “Now who’s the beautiful genius?” she shouted at Sam.  Look for more sconces!”  There were two sconces by the pillar Sam had just left.  She muttered, “The heart rules even kings,” then placed the heart candle in the sconce to the left of the pillar and the crown candle in the sconce to the right of the pillar.  Kara placed the cross candle by the pillar that talked about holiness.  But nothing happened.

They looked around, disappointed that they didn’t get any kind of reaction from the room.  Fortunately, Kara found a fifth candle that they had missed.  “It’s got a diamond on it.  Did any of the pillars say anything about diamonds?”  They looked at the remaining pillars, but none had writing on them.

“Kara!  There’s a sconce over by where the jewels go.  That must be it!”  Kara hurried over to the sconce, on the wall to the left of the coffin, and placed the candle.  This time, the reaction was immediately.  A yellow light from the ceiling illuminated the box under the sconce, and Kara was able to open it.  Sam came up behind her, putting her hands on Kara’s hips as she looked over her shoulder into the box.  There was a blue jewel and another scroll.

Kara placed the jewel in its corresponding hole in the ground, while Sam read the scroll aloud.  “’We gave our life to chain the Night’s King, but to kill him you need our blank weapons.’  There’s a blank there that we have to figure out, I guess.  It goes on, ‘Van Helsing’s simple silver—”

“The silver cross!” Kara blurted, excited again.

“’—Harker’s blank with three blank, the bloodied blank of Morris, and Reinseld’s hammer.  The black chest will be the crucible, where all will be blank in darkness.  Then destroy blank rules even kings.’  Okay so, we have the cross and the hammer.  We just have to figure out Harker and Morris’ weapons.”

“And probably it’ll open the black box and give us the last jewel!  Harker had something with three somethings—what do we have three of?”  Sam had an idea and strolled back to the skeletons.  Sure enough, only one of the strings had three cloves on it.

“Garlic is also the tiniest bit effective against vampires, B.  Got three of ‘em right here.”  Sam did her best to emulate Faith’s weird Bostonian accent from the show, and it earned her a giggle from Kara. 

“So what goes with garlic cloves?”

“No clue.  What else gives us a context clue?”  She returned to the scroll.  “Ah!  Morris’ weapon will be bloodied.”

“Did any of the stakes have blood on them?”  Kara asked as she began checking them.  “Ah hah!  Bloody stake!”

“Hey, what if the first blank is just like ‘necklace’ or ‘string?’  Maybe we have everything now, if the string with the garlic cloves is Harker’s weapon.” 

Kara brightened.  “Let’s try it!”  They turned to find that the light above the black box had turned on, and they raced each other back to it.  Sam opened it, and they put the hammer, the cross, the string of cloves, and the stake inside.  For a brief moment, they thought something new had happened, but it turns out it was just the flickering lights and alarm to let them know that they had fifteen minutes left. 

Without evidence of any other change in the room, Kara shut the box.  A noise came from inside, and when it stopped, they reopened the box.  Inside, the weapons had been replaced by the final jewel and a big ass stake.  “Yesssss!” Kara exclaimed, then wrapped Sam into a quick hug on her way to deposit the final jewel in its hole.

The three holes lit up in red, blue, and green, forming a perfect triangle.  Then Sam was nearly hit in the boob by the sudden opening of the small trap door on the front of the coffin.  She screamed in surprise, and Kara was at her side startlingly fast.  Fortunately, they were both too distracted by what the trap door revealed for Sam to dwell on how embarrassed she felt.

Inside was an impossibly lifelike human heart, still beating and bloody.  Sam lifted the newly acquired stake in her hand.  “Alright B, who should do the honours?”

Kara took her hand and smiled coyly.  “All you, Faith.”

“I do love slayin’ some vamps.  You know me well.  Don’t worry, B, I’ll protect you from the Night King.”  Sam said it dramatically, slipping up a couple of times on the accent.  Then she raised the stake up, and drove it dramatically into the heart, just like Faith would have.  She felt it slide through the heart easily, and something clicked on the other side.  She reached the door of the coffin and pulled.

It came open, spilling bright white light into the room.  Kara and Sam both shouted in victory, facing each other grabbing each other’s hands.  Letting the moment take over her, Sam leaned down and kissed her fellow slayer.  Unlike their first kiss, this one was rough and excited and passionate.  Sam released one of Kara’s hand so that she could cup her cheek.  She pulled back, and then finished the kiss with several smaller pecks.  Then they were just standing there, smiling at each other.

Sam felt that she could’ve been happy spending the rest of the date just standing here, losing herself in the clear blue sea of Kara’s eyes.  But her date had certainly earned her prize, so Sam turned slightly and gestured to the opening hidden in the coffin.  “After you.”

On the other side was another hallway like the one through which they entered the room.  There were signs on the wall congratulating them and pointing them to the exit.  As they came back to the front desk, the redhead was waiting for them.  “Congrats, slayers!  You took out the Night King!  And with nearly thirteen minutes to spare!”  She reached under the desk.  “Here!  Your official ‘we escaped’ certificates.”  She handed them each a cheesy certificate stating that they had escaped the Vampire’s Crypt with 12.7 minutes to spare. 

“We did it, Sam!”  Kara twirled her certificate dramatically.  “Now!  I was promised a surprise.”  Sam grinned but turned to the redhead and thanked her.

“Congrats again!  Hope you’ll come try one of our other rooms soon!”  Sam led Kara outside, and the blonde took her hand again. 

“Saaaaaaaaaaam.”

“Oh yes, of course.  A prize.  Well, I guess you were pretty good at that puzzle room.  Plus, you’re kind of a good kisser.  I suppose you’ve earned your prize.”  They were back at the SUV, and Sam moved in close so that Kara’s back was pressed against the passenger side door.  With the sudden proximity, Kara’s face had gone from impatient to something else entirely.  Nervous, but hungry.  And not for food.

Sam couldn’t resist teasing her a little more.  She leaned down slowly, lifting Kara’s hair with her hand so she could whisper into Kara’s ear.  “For your **_prize_** ,” Sam paused, and ran her tongue seductively up the side of Kara’s ear.  She could feel Kara’s body tense and shudder slightly, and her hand grabbed Sam’s other forearm tightly.  She almost considered giving up the misdirection and just suggesting that they go back to Kara’s place.  But it was only their first date, and Sam was determined to get it right.  She sighed into Kara’s ear and whispered again, “For your prize—” she stepped back from Kara, releasing the tantalizing tension between them, and smiling as she finished in a normal voice, “—I’m taking you to the zoo.”

Kara’s face fell just slightly, clearly having fallen into Sam’s trap and hoping that she had something sexier in mind.  _Soon enough, Kara.  Soon enough._ Then she smiled brightly.  “You’re an awful tease, Sam.  I’ll get you back somehow.”  Kara put her hand on the door handle, but before pulling it open, she turned her head back over her shoulder and added, “Who told you that I love the zoo?”

“A little bird,” Sam responded slyly.


	15. I'm In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and Winn hang out while Sam and Kara are out. Meanwhile antics ensue at the zoo.

** Chapter 15 **

“I was not nearly drunk enough for that shit show.”  Day drinking was a new experience for Lena, but so far, she was enjoying it.  She had refilled their drinks and was walking back to her couch, where Winn waited for her. 

“Ex squeeze me, but Jar Jar Binks is **_not_** a shit show.  How wude!”  He smirked as Lena handed him his drink and took her seat on the other end of the couch.  Her eyes lingered for a second on the new throw pillows Kara had picked up, and she smiled.  The pops of purple, deep royal, and pale blue really brought some life to the room and matched perfectly with the purple rug.  Winn continued, “I still can’t believe you’ve never drunk watched the prequels.”

“As a general rule, I try to avoid the prequels as much as possible.”  Given that they just quoted their way through _The Phantom Menace_ , she doubted that Winn believed her, but he didn’t call her on it.  “Ready for _Attack of the Course Sand_?”

Winn snorted, choking a little on his drink.  He coughed loudly for several seconds, then glared at Lena.  “Are you **_trying_** to kill me?”

Lena gazed by dryly and answered, “You know what’ll really kill you?  Sand.  It's coarse and rough and irritating—”  

“And it gets everywhere.” Winn joined her in saying the line.  “Yeah yeah, shut up.  Let’s start the movie.”  They were both much tipsier for this one, which was really good.  _Attack of the Clones_ was easily Lena’s least favourite Star Wars movie.  Still, goofy fun was just what she needed today.

She was really happy for Sam and Kara, and she couldn’t wait to hear how the date went when Kara got home.  But that didn’t make it easy.  Jealousy and insecurity are things that don’t go away just because you decide they should.  She was thankful for Winn’s friendship, and this had been a genius idea for a distraction.  Not that he knew she was in need of one.  Lena had asked him to hang out, and this was the first thing that he had suggested.  Such a Winn suggestion.

As the opening crawl filled the screen and the Star Wars theme boomed over her surround sound speakers, she glanced over at Winn.  His eyes were firmly fixed on the screen, mouth moving slightly as he read the words he had surely seen ten or twenty time before.  The dork had worn a black Star Wars t-shirt.  Lena wondered what he would think when he found out that Kara and Sam were dating.  If he would judge the three of them.  She felt confident that James would.  Alex might at first.  Maggie would probably think they were all awesome.  But Lena really wasn’t sure she could predict how Winn would react.

The thought did, however, bring a question to mind.  “Hey, Winn?  Kara tells me that you’ve been making heart eyes at a lady patron of the alien bar.  What’s the story there?”

Winn’s eyes widened, and he tore his eyes from the shimmering silver ship floating over the clouds of Coruscant.  “Uhhh yeah, that’s kind of a thing, I guess.  Her name’s Lyra, and she actually saved me from a couple of alien bullies.  She kicked their asses all over the bar.  It was like a scene from _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ or something; she’s got killer moves.  Anyways, we started talking, and eventually she asked me out.”

“Oh precious Winslow Schott, Jr.—ever the damsel in distress,” Lena teased.  “So, where’s Buffy from?”

“Lyra!  And she’s from Starhaven actually.”  He said ‘Starhaven’ as if it were some sort of magical place.

“Ooooo, so I’m not the only one dating an alien anymore.”  Lena cocked an eyebrow at him.  “You **_are_** dating now, I assume?”

“Yeah,” Winn sighed happily.  “She pointed out that I owed her my life, so I had to agree.  Things actually started off kinda rocky.  She wasn’t big on the date part of the evening and took me back to her place before dinner arrived.  Then she didn’t return my phone calls.”

Lena frowned.  “I know, right?  I mean, that night was **_great_** , but a one-night stand was really not what I was looking for.  So, I confronted her about it next time I saw her at the bar.  I explained that I had a great time, but that I really wanted to get to know her better.  Take her out for a real date.  But it kinda hurt that she ignored my calls.  Turns out, she thought sex was all I was after.  ‘An experience’ was the way she phrased it.  Apparently I’m the first human she met who was actually open to dating an alien.”

Lena’s brow furrowed, and she bristled a little.  Technically, almost no one knew that Lena’s girlfriend was an alien—secret identity and all—but she still hated the narrow-mindedness of so many people.  If she were publicly dating Supergirl rather than Kara Danvers, she would have no problem proudly showing the world that she loved her alien girlfriend.  “Knowing you, you probably swept her off her feet and showed her that she’s wonderful just the way she is?”

“Well **_of course_** I did!  I took her to a fancy restaurant, and Lena, holy cow she was so gorgeous.  But there were only humans there, and a lot of people stared as we walked in.  I felt so bad, but I was determined.  I told her the problem was them, not her.  And as the night went on, she really came out of her shell.  We’ve gone out a few times since then, and I really like her.  She’s more adventurous than me, and every time I see her is more fun than the last.”

“That’s wonderful, Winn.  I’m so happy for you.  So how come you haven’t mentioned her before?”

“I mean, the first date was right before everything happened with Edge, and you and I haven’t really had much time to catch up since then.  How are you doing, by the way?”

The movie continued to play in the background, with Anakin and Obi Wan interviewing Padme about the attempt on her life.  But neither Lena nor Winn was too concerned with pausing it.  Lena smiled warmly at her friend.  “I’m quite wonderful, actually.  I had no idea how restorative it could be to just get away from everything.  Midvale was so peaceful.  Beautiful in its idyllic way.”

She took another sip.  “I feel more comfortable in my own skin than I’ve ever felt.  And things with Kara are so great.  I never knew that I could have a love like this.”  Fixing him with a look that made it obvious his change of subject hadn’t gone unnoticed, she added, “When do we get to meet this Lyra?”

Winn shrugged nonchalantly.  “Probably soonish.  I’m kinda surprised we haven’t all run into each other at the bar already.  But maybe we can plan something in the next week or two, like a double date?”

“I’m sure Kara and I would love that.”

“And hey, I’m really glad that you’re doing better.  I’d really rather neither of us get so far down a dark path that we crack and turn into our parents.”  Lena laughed darkly, thinking of how close she had come to murdering Morgan Edge in cold blood.  Of all people, only Winn really understood that very real fear, the danger of that path.

“I almost did, though,” she responded softly.  She looked up from her glass, and Winn’s eyes were soft and understanding.  “When I found out that Edge had poisoned those children in an attempt to frame me, I went to his office.  I disguised my face and brought my gun.  I fully intended to kill him that night.  I was so caught up in my own darkness and despair and insecurities about becoming like Lex, that I nearly put myself on the path to doing just that.”

“What stopped you?”  There was no judgment in his voice, only compassion.

“Edge’s henchman got the drop on me and knocked me out.  I … I’m worried I really would’ve done it, Winn.  Kara saved me from Edge, but coming to terms with what I had almost done was really rock bottom for me.”

“Sometimes you’ve gotta hit rock bottom.  You know you can always talk to me about this stuff, right?”

“I know.  I’m lucky to have you as a friend.  As much as I love Kara, and Sam, they can’t understand.  What it is to struggle with a dark legacy.  To wonder if your bloodline is cursed or if your genes are just … wrong.  But I think I’m on the right side of it now, maybe for good.” 

“I think you are, too.  And for what it’s worth, you’re one of the best people I know.  Very few people could ever be good enough for Kara, and you’re one of them.”  The conversation was interrupted by a loud crash over the speakers, and they both jumped slightly.  Winn glanced at the TV then said, “Now hush, or we’ll miss the death sticks conversation.”

“God forbid we miss that piece of stirring dialogue,” Lena scoffed.  But she settled further into the couch anyway and turned her attention back to the movie.  _You know, now that I think about it, I wonder if I could build a functional lightsaber.  Why hasn’t that thought ever occurred to me before?_

~~~~

“Sam, they’re so so cute!  I love them!”  Two giant sea otters had just slid down the light incline of the shallow stone pathway that formed a slide between two of the pools of their enclosure.  Otters were absolutely Kara’s favourite creatures on Earth.  These two had squealed happily as they slid, pawing playfully at each other.

They had started at the aviary and then snaked their way around the zoo path into the rainforest area where the otters were.  Kara hadn’t let go of Sam’s hand until they reached the otter exhibit, where she had released it in her squeal of excitement at seeing all of their adorable little faces. 

Kara turned back to Sam, who had followed right behind her to the railing of the exhibit viewing platform.  There were a few other people around them on the platform, but Sam had eyes only for her.  They traded smiles, and Sam draped her arm casually over Kara’s arm before asking, “So, otters are your faves, huh?”

“I’m that obvious, huh?”  Kara didn’t think she had stopped smiling since they got to the zoo.

“You are, indeed.  But you’re right.  The critters are pretty cute.  Not half as cute as you though, Blondie.”  _Oh Rao, I’m in trouble._   Kara wasn’t quite sure what she had expected from this date.  She knew it was likely to be fun, given how much she enjoyed spending time with Sam.  But she had not at all expected that she would be so completely swept off her feet.  On an impulse, she pushed up on her toes and kissed Sam softly.  Just a small one.  She caught Sam off guard, though, wiping the flirty grin off her face.

“You should be careful with all the flirting you do, now that I can retaliate in good conscience.”  They were walking again, but Kara hoped Sam would rise to the challenge in her voice.  

“Oh no, what?  Are you going to kiss me again?  Because that sounds truly heinous, Kara.”

“I’m considering it.  For now, I’ll settle for you telling me what your favourite animal is.”  Solving a puzzle together had been so much fun and the best possible ice breaker.  She already felt so comfortable and safe with Sam, and it was only their first date.  But she appreciated the choice to come to the zoo even more.  Not only did she love animals, but she and Sam basically had hours to fill with conversation.  Kara’s main desire was just to get to know Sam better.

“I don’t know that I really have a favourite, honestly.  I hope that you won’t judge me too harshly.”  Sam rubbed Kara’s thumb with her own.  “This is actually my first time at the zoo.  Any zoo.”

Kara stopped them, pulling Sam so that she was facing her.  She felt so bad for Sam.  “This is your inaugural zoo visit, and you didn’t tell me?!  Sam!  Not okay.  You may have planned this date, but I am in charge now.  I’m going to show you the world! …  Of the zoo.”  Sam grinned at her, and Kara suddenly felt self-conscious again.  “And as for your favourite animal, you can tell me before we leave.  I’ll even go into the snake house with you, if you really want to.”  She did her best not to shudder at the thought.

“Alright then, Lady Zoo Master, where to next?”

“That’s the beauty of the zoo!  It’s very intuitive.  The path is basically a big circle through all the animal exhibits.  We’ll keep going through the rainforest area, see what we else we can see here, then move on to the next part.  Gotta stop for a snack at some point though, I’m starving.”  Kara blushed a little, realizing her insane metabolism wasn’t exactly ladylike.  Or even easy to explain to someone who didn’t know that she’s Supergirl.  Maybe that wouldn’t be a problem for much longer, though.

“Buying my girl a snack at the zoo is totally on my bucket list, so that works out for both of us.”  Kara nearly tripped at the phrase ‘my girl,’ but Sam’s grip on her hand steadied her.  She glanced over, and Sam didn’t give away any self-doubt or embarrassment about calling Kara that.  It was a little presumptuous, to say that on a first date.  But Sam’s cockiness was a huge part of what drew Kara to her.  Besides, Kara really liked the sound of it.

“Kara, what the fuck is that?”  She followed Sam’s line of vision to the large pig-like creatures resting by the water among the trees. 

“Oh!  Umm, I think those are tapirs, maybe?”  She led Sam over to the plastic panel attached to the railing.  “Yup!  Tapir, see?”  Sam made a show of brushing up against Kara while she leaned in to read the information about the tapir.

“Yeah, this one’s not as cute as the otters.  What else ya got?”  Sam wrapped an arm around Kara’s shoulders as they continued down the path.  “Is this okay?”

Kara reached up and briefly squeezed Sam’s hand, now on her shoulder.  “More than okay.”  She wasn’t sure exactly what was next, but she knew the leopards couldn’t be too far away.  She guessed Sam would love them.  “Oh hey look over there!”  She pointed to the now swampier water where she could see snub noses and raised eyes of several alligators sticking out of the water.

“Holy shit that monster is massive.”  Sam pointed at the one gator out of the water.

“Have you ever seen an alligator before?”

Sam looked at her like she was crazy.  “Uhh no, why would I have?  First time at the zoo, remember?  You think I grew up wrestlin’ gators or something?”  It occurred to Kara that she didn’t know all that much about Sam’s childhood.

“Actually, I have no idea.  We’ve never really talked much about your past.  So, that’s a no on gator wrestling.  Where did you grow up, Samantha Arias?” 

Sam’s face went distant for a moment.  “Well, you already know I’m adopted.  I never knew my birth parents.  Patricia never even told me where they were from.  I grew up in a tiny town several hours north of National City, right on the edge of the national forest.  No gators there.  Maybe some geckos, but they’re not great for wrestling.  Anyways, it was all terribly boring, and I left when I was seventeen.”

“No pressure if it’s too personal or its too soon, but … I’m guessing you and your mom aren’t on good terms?  Have you talked to her at all since she kicked you out?”

Again, there was a disconcerting pause, and Kara worried about pushing Sam.  Her heart ached at the thought of how her mother treated her when she got pregnant, even if Kara only knew the basics of the story.  “No,” murmured Sam.  “I closed that door behind me and never looked back.”  Kara stroked her hand along Sam’s arm as they continued to walk down the path.

“Sweetie, I’m sorry.  And I’m sorry I brought it up.  You’re amazing, and Ruby is pretty great, too.  It’s your mom’s loss.”

Sam tensed slightly.  “You really think I’m amazing?”

 _Oh come on, really?_ Kara looked at her incredulously.  “Uh, duh.  You’re pretty much one of my favourite people.  But don’t let it go to your head.”  Sam looked behind them, the pushed Kara gently to the side of the path.  Kara’s breath caught in her throat as Sam stepped into her space.  Sam’s hand traced gently up her shoulder and around the back of her neck, under her hair.  It sent the most wonderful shiver down her spine.  Sam’s other hand was on Kara’s hip, pulling her closer.  Kara’s pulse sped up in anticipation, as Sam’s eyes met hers.

There was a subtle pain Kara could see hiding behind her dark irises, but they shone with a strength and warmth that thrilled Kara.  Sam’s face was a beautiful picture of appreciation and desire.  Kara didn’t even bother to look around as Sam leaned in—she could hear that there were no people near them right now.  Not that she particularly cared if anyone saw them.

Sam’s lips were firm but soft, moving over hers gently at first and then with increasing pressure.  Kara’s breath caught again when Sam’s tongue brushed the top of her bottom lip.  She tightened her grip around the small of Sam’s back as she opened her mouth a little wider to welcome Sam’s tongue with her own.  She had to stifle a slight moan as Sam’s fingers scratched pleasantly against her neck.  For a moment, she completely lost herself to Sam’s lips, to the feel of her tongue in her mouth.  The subtle taste of her breath mingling with Kara’s own.  It was wonderful.

Kara sighed as Sam ended the kiss.  “Wow,” she whispered.

“Yeah,” Sam replied.  The stood there, foreheads pressed together, and held each other for another minute or so.  Then Kara took Sam’s hand again and kissed her sweetly on the cheek before leading her back down the path.

“Come on, you’re gonna love the next exhibit I think!”

“What’s next?”  The genuine curiosity in Sam’s voice warmed Kara’s heart.

“If I’m remembering correctly, the leopards.”

Sam’s grip tightened on Kara’s hand.  “Kara Danvers, they’ve got giant kitty cats?!”  Kara grinned and nodded.  “Well let’s fucking go see them then!”

~~~~

Shortly after the leopard enclosure, they had found the zoo’s Mexican grill, which had surprisingly delicious tacos.  Kara had eaten seven of them, and Sam teased her relentlessly.  Then they had made their way through the zoo, checking out tigers and bears, hippos and rhinos, and the birds of prey exhibit.  They had just passed the chimps, the baboons, the lemurs, and then the cheetahs, and were now approaching the area Kara knew housed the giraffes.

Kara felt bad about it, but her attention had not been fully on the animals, even though she felt like she was still doing a good job playing tour guide to Sam.  The problem was that she couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss.  Kissing Sam was so different than kissing Lena.  With Lena, it was like coming home.  Kissing Lena made her feel whole and right and alive.  Their chemistry was fluid and powerful.  Inevitable.  With Sam, it was … electric and raw and enticing.  Kissing Lena was powerful like the ocean, boundless and all-consuming.  Kissing Sam was powerful like a lightning storm, rough and fierce.

Kara could still feel that spark dancing under her skin, and part of her wanted to find the nearest dark corner and have Sam try that ear thing again.  However, they had just reached the giraffe enclosure, and Sam saw one of their heads pop up over the wall.  She stopped dead in her tracks.

“Sam?”  Her eyes were full of wonder, and it took a moment for her attention to come back to Kara. 

“I didn’t know there would be giraffes here.”  Her voice was gentle and childlike, in the most adorable way.

“Yeah, most big zoos do, silly.  Come on, let’s go see them.”  The walked around the path and up the stairs to the viewing platform.  Kara was loving how in awe Sam was.  She had found the big cats beautiful, and the chimpanzees fascinated her.  Nothing affected her so profoundly as seeing the top of the giraffe’s head pop up over that wall, though.  She’d never seen Sam’s face so full of wonder.

They walked all the way up to the corner of the platform, and Sam remained silent.  Kara stood just behind her, hand on Sam’s arm.  There were at least four or five giraffes in the large enclosure.  Two of them were near the viewing platform, and Sam’s attention was firmly on the shorter of the two.  Then Kara saw it.

“Sam,” she whispered.  “Look over here.”  Sam followed her gaze over to the baby giraffe that had just wobbled around the corner.  Her reaction was priceless.  Kara had no idea that Sam was capable of squeeing, but there was really no other word for the adorable sound that came from her.

“Kara, she’s amazing!  They all are.  I don’t even … I don’t have words.  They’re so—” Sam paused, her eyes never leaving the giraffes.  “Majestic.  That’s the only word I’ve got.”

She leaned in and whispered, “You know, they’ll let you feed them.”  Sam immediately spun around to face her, face alight with pure glee. 

“Really?!”

“I think it’s like five bucks each, but yeah.  Come on!” Kara took her hand and pulled her around the corner to where the feeding area was.  Sam insisted on paying their $5 each, and then they were inside the little fence, where the giraffes could poke their heads over and accept shoots of leafy plants.  Suddenly, Sam was shy.  There was only one giraffe looking for handouts right now, but he was definitely interested in Sam.

“Go on, say hi.  He seems hungry.”  Sam reached out the plant tentatively, and the giraffe lowered his head until it was less than a foot from Sam’s hand.  Then his tongue shot out and wrapped around the shoot, smoothly yanking it from Sam’s hand and straight into the giraffe’s mouth.  It was long and black and prehensile.  Kara worried that it would’ve freaked Sam out, but she seemed fascinated.

“Hey fella.  Hi.”  Her hand was still out, and even without another tasty treat in it, the giraffe leaned back down.  Kara kept her distance, enjoying the sight.  Sam looked so small and whimsical next to the towering neck and odd face of the giraffe.  This was going to make a great painting later.  She captured a couple of quick reference photos on her phone.  Sam and the giraffe hung out for another five minutes or so, and she gave him another few plants.  As she turned and walked back to Kara, her whole body seemed more relaxed than it had been all day.

“Made a new friend, did you?”  Sam’s smile was wide and toothy and perfect.

“Giraffes are my favourite.  No question.  Kara, that was amazing.”  She took both Kara’s hands.  “I would’ve never come somewhere like this without you.  Never gotten to experience that.  Thank you.”  Kara searched her deep brown eyes.  They were practically dancing.  Kara didn’t quite understand why yet, but this had clearly meant a lot to Sam.  She was so excited to learn more about this enigmatic, entrancing woman.

They spent another hour or so at the zoo, blissfully enjoying each other’s company and the sights and sounds of the elephants, the gorillas, the zebras, and the kangaroos.  Sam adored the koalas but not in the same way she connected with the giraffe.  Mercifully, Sam elected to skip the snake house.  As they walked out of the zoo, Kara could feel the butterflies return to her stomach.  _I’m not ready for this to be over yet._

“Hey Sam?”  They were walking through the parking lot, each with an arm around the other’s waist.  Sam turned her head to the side in curiosity.  “Would you … do you wanna grab some dinner before I head home?”

“We’ve been together for hours, and you’re not tired of me, huh?  Guess I’m doing something right.”  Kara grinned.  Sam had _**definitely**_ been doing something right.  “I could eat something light, but aren’t you still full from the three hundred tacos?”  Kara tried her best to glare, but she couldn’t quite muster it. 

She smiled instead and coyly admitted, “Umm … yes?  I’ve got kind of a crazy metabolism.  Surely you’ve noticed it before.”

“You love your food, but I didn’t quite realize how much of it you can put away, I guess.  But hey, I’m not complaining.  Definitely don’t mind dating a lady who can eat.”

They had reached Sam’s SUV.  “Dating, huh?  So you’re saying you want to go on another date after this?”

Sam rolled her eyes.  “Blondie, this is the best date I’ve ever been on.  You’re incredible, and it’s pretty obvious the chemistry between us is insane.  If you’re in, I’m in.”

Kara smiled, then pulled Sam in for another kiss.  Not like the earlier kiss.  Simple, straightforward.  A promise of more to come.  “I’m in.”

~~~~

Dinner was nice and relaxed.  Wine, pasta, and plenty of footsy under the table.  The sun had barely set fifteen minutes ago when Sam pulled up to the downtown building that housed Lena and Kara’s penthouse.  Kara had had the most wonderful day, and it left her with nagging questions.

“Sam?”  Kara looked down at her hands in her lap, not sure exactly what it was she wanted to ask.  Or rather, she knew exactly what she wanted to ask, but wasn’t sure how.  Or if it was too soon.

“Hey Blondie.” Kara glanced up, and Sam fixed her with a knowing look.  She reached out a hand and intertwined it with Kara’s.  “Something on your mind?”

“Yeah,” Kara admitted.  “But I’m not sure if I should say anything.  Not yet.”  Kara’s stomach did a flip flop.  She wished she were as brave as Sam when it came to this stuff.

Sam’s thumb rubbed soothingly along her own.  “You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to, but I will remind you that all three of us agreed to stay honest and talk to each other.”  Kara traced her other hand over the back of Sam’s.

“Yeah, you’ve got me there.  Fine.  I want to ask you something.  And I am super worried that it’s too soon or that I’m getting ahead of myself or trying to I don’t know, like—”

“Kara!  Don’t worry about it.  You’re not gonna scare me off by asking me a question.  I promise.”  Kara checked, and Sam’s eyes backed up her statement.

Kara collected her thoughts with a deep breath.  “So … I had a wonderful day.  And I want more wonderful days.  With you.  But I’m still kinda scared.  And I guess I’m just wondering … I mean, really Sam, how do we do this?”  She squeezed Sam’s hand.  “Let’s say … I don’t know, what, do we become girlfriends?  I just have two girlfriends?  And that really doesn’t bother you?  What will Ruby think?  Ugh. I know, I’m rambling, and you’re gonna tell me it’s cute and stuff, but don’t do that right now.  Just … Sam, this is wonderful, I just don’t see how it works.”  Kara felt embarrassed, but all her worries had just sort of poured out of her mouth without really trying.

Sam sighed.  “Well, first of all, yes.  You’re getting ahead of yourself.  But I get why you’re freaked.  It was one thing to talk about it; it’s another to actually do it.  But hey, let me ask you this.  Do you think **_this_** is real?  Or that it could be, in time?”

Her answer was immediate, before she could overthink it.  “Yes.”  She smiled, even though she was conflicted.  “You and I could both feel that today.”

“Okay.  It’s a first date.  A really great one.  Sure, the stakes are higher because of … everything.  Because of Lena.  But we don’t have to go defining things just yet.  Just know that when we do get there, it doesn’t detract from what you have with Lena.  Calling me your girlfriend doesn’t make her less your girlfriend.  Ruby will deal.  Especially when she’s sees how happy you make me.  I didn’t raise my daughter to have all the standard heteronormative monogamous expectations society expects of us.” 

Sam cupped her hand around Kara’s cheek, pulling her head up so that their eyes met.  “All I can tell you is that we’ll figure it out together.  All that really matters is you, me, and Lena.  And my daughter.  As long as we’re all happy and good, it doesn’t matter if people think we’re weird.  Okay?”

Kara felt her doubt melt away into Sam’s warm touch.  “Okay.  Sorry I freaked a little.  It’s kinda scary how perfect today felt.  I … I really like you, Sam.”

Her face lit up in the brightest smile, forcing a smile to Kara’s own face as if by magic.  “I like you, too, dummy.  Let’s do this again soon?”

Kara giggled.  “Very soon.  But I can’t bring giraffes for every date, as cute as you were with that one.  I’ll text you tomorrow?”

“Sounds like a plan.”  Kara felt the warmth start low in her gut and spread through her body as Sam leaned in to kiss her goodnight.  As their lips met, everything felt every bit as electric as the kiss in the park.  One of Sam’s hands was in her hair, but the other traced over her shoulder to her neck and then slowly down her collarbone and chest.  Agonizingly slow, but in the best possible way.  Kara whimpered softly into Sam’s mouth. 

Sam didn’t pull away but her lips moved from Kara’s so she could tease, “Someone’s excited.”  Kara placed her hand on Sam’s chest, just slightly above her left breast as if she was going to make a move, then playfully shoved her back a few inches.

“Oh just you wait until you see me excited, Samantha Arias.” 

“Such a tease.  But I can be patient.  Tell Lena I said ‘hi,’ okay?”  Sam leaned in for one last lingering kiss.

“I will.  ‘Night Sam.”

“See ya soon, Blondie.”  Kara got out of the SUV and headed inside, texting Lena to let her know she was walking into the building.  She felt so fidgety as she took the elevator to the top floor.  Her phone vibrated just before she stepped out of the elevator.

**I’ll have a glass of wine waiting.  Can’t wait to hear all the details.**

Kara let out the breath she had apparently been holding in and opened the front door.  Lena was pouring the wine as she walked in.  She was in a pair of simple black underwear, a sky blue camisole, and her silk robe wrapped loosely around her.  Kara stopped in the entryway and just enjoyed the sight of her girlfriend for a long moment.

“See something you like, darling?”

“You know you’re absolutely gorgeous, right?”  Kara walked over and wrapped her arms loosely around Lena’s neck. 

Lena kissed the side of Kara’s arm before replying, “Well, I had **_some_** idea, yes.  Come to bed with me?  We’ll catch up on the day and cuddle?”  Kara grinned. 

“I think I’d love that.  How’s Winn?”  Kara grabbed her glass of win, intentionally leaving the bottle behind.  Lena could hold her liquor but Kara could tell from her very careful steps that she’d probably had plenty today.  She moved at normal human speeds, preferring to savour all the little daily moments of time she spent with Lena. 

“He’s great, actually.  The blonde at the bar’s name is Lyra.  Sounds like they’ve been dating for a little while now.  He seems genuinely happy.”  Lena pulled back the covers and let her robe slip off her shoulders before getting into bed.  Kara placed the wine glass on her nightstand, then removed her jacket, boots, tights, and dress. 

As she undressed, she said “That’s wonderful!  I’m so happy for him!  Did you two have fun?”  Then she removed her bra and slid into bed beside Lena.

Lena sat her own glass down on her nightstand and traced her finger over Kara’s bare skin.  Up her arm, softly along her collarbone, then gently over the curve of her breast.  “Darling, you can’t just climb in to bed topless after a long day of drunk Star Wars and expect me to continue talking about my day.”

Lena’s touch sent waves of desire through Kara’s body, but she knew that it was important to talk first.  “As tempting as that sounds, I think we can both control ourselves for at least a little while.  Don’t you want to hear about my date?”

“I do, but. You. Just. Taste. So. Good.”  Lena punctuated each word with a soft kiss along Kara’s collarbone.  Her mouth hovered tantalizingly over Kara’s nipple for just long enough that her back arched a little, unconsciously yearning for Lena’s soft lips.  Then Lena pulled back and grinned mischievously.  “But sure, darling, tell me about your date.”

“Leeeeeeena you’re so mean to me!”  She fixed Lena with her best pout, but immediately grinned when Lena rolled her eyes in response.  “Ugh fine, I’ll forgive you, but only because I’ve had such a wonderful day with your best friend.”

“Oh swept you off your feet, did she?  So, where did Ms. Arias take you?”

Kara narrowed her eyes playfully.  “As if you weren’t the one who told her I love the zoo!”

“I’ll admit to knowing about the zoo, but she wouldn’t tell me what genius idea she had for before the zoo.  She was quite proud of it, so you absolutely **_must_** tell me about it.”  Kara caught Lena’s gaze, and the two exchanged a wordless conversation.  Kara’s eyes searched Lena’s for assurance that she was genuinely interested and that this wasn’t too much for her to handle.  Lena’s eyes gave that assurance, with an added glow of unaffected curiosity.

“I love you.”  Kara kissed Lena deeply.  The taste of red wine perfectly suited Lena’s lips and tongue, and it wasn’t the first time the thought had crossed her mind either. 

“I love you, too, darling.”  Lena put a hand to Kara’s cheek.  “Kara, it’s alright.  I know you’re not going anywhere.  I **_know_** that you love me.  Stop worrying, and tell me about the magical place Sam took you.”

“Okay, but I **_do_** love you, and I’m constantly loving all the little ways in which I love you.  Just so you know.  Now.”  Kara looked at Lena with wider eyes, intentionally drawing it out to tease her.  “Sam took me to an escape room!  We got to play slayers and work our way out of a vampire’s crypt.”

The traded notes from the day for the next thirty minutes or so, but Kara could tell Lena was fading.  And she wasn’t quite ready for sleep just yet.  Still, there was one other thing they needed to discuss.  “Lena, I think I need to tell her that I’m Supergirl.”

“What changed your mind?  You know I’m onboard already, but I’m curious.”

Kara took Lena’s hand.  “I … this could be real, Lena.  But we’ll never know until I let her in on this side of my life.  And ultimately, I care about her.  She deserves to know, and I don’t want to hide anything from her anymore.”  

“Do you want me to be there when you do?”  Kara smiled softly.  She felt so lucky to know that Lena was always on her team, even in this. 

“No, I think I’ll tell her the next time she and I get some time alone.  I don’t want her to feel ganged up on if it takes her by surprise.  And—” Kara hesitated, just for a moment.  She didn’t want Lena to feel left out.  “I … it’s kind of a special moment for me and her, you know?”

“Perfectly understandable.  Kara, please don’t feel bad about wanting moments with Sam.  You’re dating now.  Yeah, that’s fucking weird right now, but that’s because it’s new.  You’re **_supposed_** to have nice moments together, as a couple.  I want that for you, okay?”  Kara was kissing Lena before the question was out of her mouth. 

“Lena, you’re amazing and wonderful and I can’t believe how lucky I am to have you in my life, but also I really really want to get you naked right now.  How does that sound?”  Lena’s wicked grin and raised eyebrows were all the ‘yes’ Kara needed.


	16. By the way, I'm an alien

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanvers and Karlena get brunch with Gertrude. Kara opens up to Sam about her alien heritage, with unexpected results.

** Chapter 16 **

“Li’l Luthor, how is it you know literally all the best brunch spots in National City?  Every time I’m sure you’ve taken us to all of them, you pull another one out of your ass.”  Lena raised an eyebrow at Maggie’s curious choice of phrase.

“I assure you, detective, their source is decidedly more glamourous than that.”

“I don’t know, dat ass is pretty damn glamourous.”  Maggie winked just as Alex elbowed her in the ribs. 

“You’re incorrigible, Maggie.”  Before Kara had gotten home from her date last night, Maggie had texted Lena about the possibility of going to brunch.  Lena knew the perfect place, Oddfellows, which had just opened in the last month and had a nice patio space that was dog-friendly.  Lena needed some Gertrude in her life. 

Gerty still refused to sit in anyone’s lap but Alex’s, but she at least let Lena walk her in from the car.  Lena leaned under the table and waved a piece of sausage towards Gert.  She tilted her head, maybe considering it, but then she just shivered at Lena and refused to move.  “Gertrude, why do you hate me so?”  She tossed the piece of sausage to her anyway.  Meanwhile, Kara was scarfing down her third omelette to her right.  Alex, Maggie, and Lena had already finished their meals and were enjoying the restaurant’s bottomless mimosas.

Alex talked down to the tiny pup in her lap.  “Gertrude, Lena is nice enough to give you table scraps, and you won’t even go see her.  That’s so rude.  Your mommies never give you table scraps.”  She shrugged at Lena.  “She’s a tiny little coward, but I love her.”

“I still love her, anyway.  But I’ll convince you to love me back someday, Gert.”  Lena turned to Maggie.  “Any interesting cases at work lately?”

Maggie swallowed the generous sip of mimosa in her mouth before replying.  “Actually the most interesting thing I’m working on lately is a joint NCPD-DEO investigation Alex and I are spearheading.  It started with a few unsolved murders that we slowly began to realize were connected.  Low level criminals at first.  Wounds consistent with either alien tech or powers.  Once I realized these murders were all committed by the same killer or killers, I got permission from my superiors to work with the ‘FBI’s alien division’ and roped Alex in.”

“What sort of wounds?  How do you know the killer is alien?”  Lena was always skeptical when the authorities’ first assumption when it came to strange or unusual sorts of violence was aliens.  She trusted Maggie and Alex, but there were far too many in power who shared Lex and Lillian’s unfounded bias and applied it to every possible situation. 

“Burns consistent with either laser guns or heat vision.  Broken necks and crushed skulls without evidence of much further injury, indicating superhuman strength.  The most recent killing was a group of gang members.  Bunch of vicious killers and drug dealers, all of them armed.  It was clear from the crime scene that they had used their guns, including semi-automatics, against their attacker, but the only blood or other DNA found on the scene was all matched up to dead gang members.  Whoever killed them walked away without a scratch.”

Alex jumped in.  “We haven’t come close to finding the killer yet.  Nothing to go on that we need Kara for yet, but when we finally catch up to these killers, this is going to be something for Supergirl to handle.”

“But Kara Danvers **_is_** covering the story for the National Tribune.”  Lena smiled softly—Kara’s mumbled the statement through a mouthful of omelette.

“Sounds gruesome.  Do you have any idea what the motive is, or how you might catch the killer?” 

“It’s pretty clear that we have a vigilante on our hands.  All of the victims are criminals, or at least alleged criminals.  Rapists.  Abusers.  Gang members.  But they only attack under cover of night.  There are never any witnesses.  I have no idea how to catch this person.”  Alex’s voice was tense.

“Hell, I’m not even sure I want to catch them.”  Alex cut her eyes at Maggie, her face tight with frustration.  Clearly this was an ongoing argument between them.”

Kara responded scoldingly, “Maggie, these victims are all terrible people, but we can’t condone a superpowered vigilante playing judge, jury, and executioner.  The kind of person who could do this, even to monsters like that, isn’t someone we can allow to operate in National City freely.  That’s not what Supergirl stands for, and it’s not what the NCPD stands for either.”

“Kara, I **_know_**.  But … look, I believe in the system as much as anyone, or I wouldn’t be a cop.  I can’t pretend that there aren’t massive flaws.  Most of these victims either escaped punishment for their crimes or got off light.  Each of them should’ve been locked away forever, if you ask me.”  Alex and Kara were both giving her a look of concern.  Maggie shrugged.  “All I’m saying is that I’m not mourning their loss.  Yes, I’ll do my job, and I’m doing everything that I can to catch the killer.  But I have trouble seeing the murders committed so far as anything but a net good for the world.”

Based on what she had heard so far, Lena tended to agree.  This wasn’t the first time she and Maggie’s more nuanced views of justice had come into conflict with the more black and white perspectives of Kara and Alex.  She did agree with Kara on one point though.

“I’m not going to complain about fewer rapists and murderers in the world, but Kara’s right.  This vigilante is focused on criminals right now, but how long until there’s collateral damage?  And can we ever really trust someone who is capable of this sort of violence?  This sort of ruthlessness?”

“Exactly!”  Alex startled Gertrude with her sudden passion.  “That’s what I’m concerned about.  This sort of extrajudicial justice, if you want to call it that, can only be trusted in the hands of heroes like Supergirl.  Who understand the cost of life.  Struggle with the morality of violence and the use of force.  And who are willing to work with the authorities as much as necessary.”

Kara blushed.  The admiration in Alex’s voice filled Lena with warmth and pride.  Supergirl wasn’t perfect, but no one could question her morals, her goodness.  Kara was a beam of sunshine and a beacon of hope, and it always cost her when she was forced to make the tough calls. 

“Yeah yeah, calm down Danvers.  The last thing we need is Supergirl to get an ego.”  Kara threw a piece of egg at Maggie.  “Hey, that is assault of an officer!  I could arrest you right here and now, Li’l Danvers.”

“Wouldn’t that be a sight?” Lena joked.  “But I thought we agreed that there would be no more arresting of the good guys, Detective Sawyer?”

Maggie rolled her eyes dramatically.  “You’re never gonna let that go, are you?  Fucking Luthors and their grudges.”  Her voice was jovial, and Lena laughed. 

“Arrest my girlfriend, and I’ll show you a grudge.”

“Shut it, you two.  Lena, you’ve got the check, right?”  Since they had grown a little closer, Alex had no trouble treating Lena like a walking ATM when they all were out together.  It was something that Lena secretly loved.  She couldn’t say why, but it felt somehow familial to her.  Like Alex understood and appreciated Lena’s desire to take care of those she cared about, even in little things like paying for brunch.

“Of course I do.  I assume that means you’re ready to head out?  Because I could hang out here drinking mimosas for the rest of the day.”

“Woman after my own heart.  Where’ve you gotta be in such a hurry, Danvers?”  Maggie poked her girlfriend teasingly.

“Oh, nowhere.  It was just starting to feel like I needed to separate you two.  Be good, and we can hang out as long as you want.”  Maggie scoffed, then saluted Alex mockingly. 

“Good, because I’m desperate to know how cohabitating domestic bliss is treating these two lovebirds.”

Kara practically jumped out of her seat.  “Maggie!  It’s the best thing ever!”  Gertrude whimpered at the outburst, and Alex stroked her head soothingly.  “I mean … it’s actually not all that different.  We were sleeping together most nights anyway.  But it just feels so much more … official?  I know it’s dumb, but I **_loooooove_** it.”

Lena tried to hide the grin Kara’s enthusiasm forced to her face, but Maggie caught her anyway.  “Luthor, you’re such a sap.  You love it just as much as she does.  I haven’t seen it yet, has she completely Kara-fied the penthouse yet?”

“Christ, you have no idea.  Darling, would you care to list off the many **_improvements_** you’ve made?”

Kara put her arm around Lena and leaned in closer.  “Well, there’s the throw pillows on the couch.  I added in some blues to the black and purple colour scheme and painted a sky blue line on the accent wall, just under the TV, to match.  I got a couple of smaller fiddle leaf figs for the two big pillars that frame the windows in the living area.  Comfier outdoor chairs for the balcony.  New duvet and pillows for our bed, plus I painted some flowers onto our bedroom wall.  A bunch of other little things.  The only room I left alone was Lena’s home office, since that’s still all her space.”

“She did give me some beautiful plumerias for the office though.”  She kissed Kara’s nearby cheek.  Lena couldn’t put into words how much moving in with Kara had meant to her.  Not without earning Maggie’s mockery at least.  She felt as if she had a home for the first time in her life.  Not just a place where she lived.  A home.

“And all you got was a desk at the loft?”  Alex scratched behind Gertrude’s ears as she asked.

“I’ll have you know that I’ve made plenty of upgrades at the loft.  New sheets, better wifi, a couple of larger art installations that I never had the wall space for at the penthouse.  And a few other things that are none of your damn business, Alex Danvers.”  Lena flashed her most devious grin.  Alex’s face crinkled.  Lena loved messing with Alex, who hated it when Lena made reference to her and Kara’s sex life.

“How many times do I have to threaten you with my pinky finger, Luthor?”

“Well, Alex, unless your pinky moves faster than the world’s most powerful Kryptonian, I’m feeling pretty safe considering I’ve got that Kryptonian locked down.  Thanks in no small part to the things I can do with my own pinky.”  Kara blushed as red as Lena had ever seen her, and Alex groaned loudly.  Maggie, on the other hand, nearly fell over laughing.  Once she collected herself, she and Lena exchanged an overly dramatic high five.

“Get it, Li’l Luthor!”  Alex fixed them both with glares, but that only made them laugh harder.  “You know, Alex is pretty great herself, and with more than just her pinky.”

“Oh?”  Lena raised her eyebrows and leaned in theatrically.

“Nope!  I mean, yes, I’m **_very_** skilled, but no, our sex life is none of your business.  And not something I’m particularly eager to discuss with my little sister.”

“Babe, you gotta loosen up.  Li’l Danvers you don’t mind, do you?”

“I … no no, don’t get me involved in this.  Ugh.  I just.  I mean sex is beautiful, and no one should be ashamed of the ways in which they express their sexuality and … oh **_Rao_** … I just mean, if Alex doesn’t want to talk about sex, she shouldn’t have to.” 

“Fuck me, I need another mimosa.”  Alex caught the attention of a nearby waitress to indicate they would need another carafe.  Meanwhile, Maggie and Lena exchanged conspiratorial grins, looking expectantly at Kara.  Before Alex turned back, she rolled her eyes and grinned too.  Lena sighed and took Kara’s hand.  _I love this woman._

~~~~

“One date, and you couldn’t wait any longer to get me alone in your apartment, huh?”  Sam had been a little surprised when Kara had suggested hanging out at her place in lieu of a second date.  She was trying not to let the “I have something to tell you” part of the request bug her, but her chest felt a little tight anyway.  She just hoped that Kara and Lena hadn’t decided this was all too much for them.

Kara took her hand, clearly working through her own set of nerves.  “We’ll just … I … let’s see what you think of what I have to say before you decide whether you want to continue to be alone in my apartment.”  _Well, that’s ominous_.

“Cool.  That’s not worrisome **_at all_** , Kara.  May as well spit it out.”  She dropped Kara’s hand and took a couple of steps back, crossing her arms.  “What’s going on?”

“No.  Sam … it’s not like …”  Kara swallowed and took a step toward her.  “I … I’ve been keeping something from you, but I don’t want to hide it anymore.  I trust you.  You deserve to know.”  Sam could feel her eyes narrow and her head tilt slightly to the side.

“Well … that’s less scary than what I was imagining in my head.  What’s up?  Just tell me, I’m not gonna judge you or anything.”  It wasn’t as if Sam didn’t have her own secrets that she absolutely wasn’t ready to share with Kara or anyone.

“Okay.”  Kara released a loud breath.  She took two more steps into Sam’s space and placed her hands on Sam’s hips.  “Just … promise me you won’t hate me?”

Sam blinked several times and smiled.  “Blondie, I’m not sure that’s possible.”  Kara smiled back, then looked up to collect herself.

“Okay.  Okay.  So, the thing is … I’m Supergirl?”  _Oh holy shit, of course she is. Holy shit!_   All the weird stuff about Kara that had confused Sam all this time suddenly made so much sense.

Sam couldn’t resist.  “Is that a question?”  Kara was so shocked that her eyes practically became plates.

“ ** _That’s_** your response?  Rao, Sam, you’re nothing if not consistent.”

She winked at Kara.  “Thanks, Supergirl.  You know, my daughter is a huge fan.”  Sam wrapped her arms around Kara’s lower back.  “So, I’m dating a superhero?”

“You’re dating a superhero, yes.”  Kara’s everything was awash with relief.  She had clearly been worried that Sam would be pissed at her.  _Holy fuck._

“Kara!”  Sam pulled back a little, her mind putting the pieces together.  “Last year, when you disappeared on Lena right before you too started hooking up, that was Supergirl stuff, wasn’t it?”  Kara’s face flushed with guilt.  “And you hadn’t told her you were Supergirl yet, so you had to tell her that garbage lie, right?”

“Yeah,” Kara whispered.  “She told you about that?”

“Kara, sweetie, I’m her best friend.  Back then I was her only friend.  Who else would she talk to about you?  I warned her against dating you for quite a while because of that.”  Kara’s face became the most adorable pout.  “Hey!  Obviously, she ignored me, and now I understand why.”

 _Kara’s Supergirl.  Supergirl is an alien. … Like me.  What if I’m like her?_ Suddenly Sam really wished that she hadn’t lost the crystal from her pod.  That she could remember what happened that night.  But maybe Kara could help.  She turned away from Kara and walked across the room to the window.  She gazed out as she thought.  _Kara trusts me.  She’s a Kryptonian superhero with a heart of gold.  Who works with a black ops covert organization that studies aliens as its full-time mission.  If anyone can help me …_

Suddenly Kara’s hand was on her shoulder.  “Sam?  What’s wrong?  Is it … Are you mad because I lied?”

Sam reached back and put her hand on Kara’s, still on her shoulder.  “No.” she whispered.  “I just …”  She turned around, pulling Kara hand down to rest around her waist.  She put her hand behind Kara’s neck, playing with her hair.  “I have a secret of my own, actually.  One that scares the shit out of me.  Because I don’t understand it.” 

Kara’s eyes filled with concern, and she held Sam tightly, waiting for her to continue.  Sam’s breath came out ragged as she released it.  “Kara … I think I’m an alien, too.”  Her brow furrowed, not in frustration or anger, but worry.

“What do you mean ‘you think?’  You don’t know?”

“Everything I told you was true.  I was adopted at a very early age by Patricia, but I never knew where I came from.  I didn’t really care either, until about a month ago.”  She pulled away, feeling the need to pace a little as she told her story.  “You weren’t at the press conf—oh shit.  You **_were_** at the press conference, weren’t you?  You saved Lena.”  Another lingering question about Kara answered.  “Thank you for that.  She’s lucky to have you. … I hope I can be that lucky someday.”

She smiled brightly at Kara, not yet ready to dream that they could have that kind of future together.  “But anyway, you saved Lena … but she wasn’t the only one in the line of fire.  I got so caught up with our investigation—and if I’m being brutally honest, with the enticing little sparks that were flying between us—to notice.  I got shot, Kara.  After you and Lena left, I found it.  The crushed bullet that couldn’t penetrate my skin.”

Kara’s face flashed with fear when she realized that Sam had been shot, even if it hadn’t hurt her.  “Sam!  I’m sorry.”  Kara’s eyes filled with tears.  “I … I was so focused on protecting Lena.  I should’ve …”

“Baby, no.”  Sam had Kara in her arms in an instant.  “I get it.  Lena was in danger.  You and I were both freaking out about her.  The shooter was aiming for her.  You made a snap decision and did what you had to do.  Do **_not_** feel guilty about that.”  She could see that her words did nothing to assuage the guilt swimming in those watery blue eyes.  She kissed away the tears on Kara’s cheeks, then kissed her firmly on the lips.

“I’m still sorry, Sam.  Even though you’re okay.  I … I’ll always protect you whenever I can.  You mean a lot to me.  I’m so sorry that I was so focused on Lena.”  Kara kissed her back.  “But you’re bulletproof?”

Sam pursed her lips, considering.  “I don’t really know.  That’s the first time anyone’s ever shot at me, but I didn’t grow up impervious.  I’ve broken a few bones.  Gotten my share of cuts and bruises.  This is the first time this has ever happened to me.  I … I’ve got no clue what’s going on.”

She turned towards the kitchen.  “Where’s Lena keep the booze?”

Kara was initially surprised by the request, then chuckled.  “Well … at least we know you don’t have a Kryptonian metabolism or constitution.”

“Wait, you’re saying human booze doesn’t do anything for you?”

“Yeah no, sorry.  I misled you a little on that front.”  Kara walked over to the cabinet further from the kitchen.  “Scotch or wine?”

“I think this is a scotch sort of conversation.”  Kara poured her a glass.  “Rocks, please.”  She grabbed a few cubes from the freezer and added them to the glass before handing it to Sam.  She took a sip, then sat down on one of the stools around the table forming Kara’s kitchen island. 

“While you and Lena were in Midvale, I took a trip to see Patricia.  It … didn’t go great.  But she did finally open up about where she found me.  She’s got my pod—spaceship, whatever—in her shed still.  I don’t know what kind of alien I am or where I’m from, but I’m definitely not from Earth.”

Kara sat down next to her.  “And you’ve been keeping this to yourself ever since?  Have you tested your powers?  It’s weird that they manifested so late in life, but we can totally figure ou—”

“That’s the thing, Kara.”  Sam took another sip, feeling more than a little bitter.  “As far as I can tell, I don’t have powers.  My first thought was that maybe I was like Sup—like you.  But I can’t fly.  Can’t shoot lasers from my eyes—”

“Heat vision!” Kara corrected then blushed.  “Um.  We call it heat vision, not lasers.”

“Lah dee dah.” Sam grinned at Kara jokingly.  “Well, I don’t have **_heat vision_**. And—” Sam unbuttoned her pants, winked at Kara, and then pulled them down to her knees,  “—I’m definitely not invulnerable.”  There were several cuts on her right thigh, in various stages of healing. 

Kara’s hand was immediately on her thigh.  “Sam!  Why?”    

“I had to be sure.  I’ve tried a couple of times, under different circumstances.  Whatever protected me from that bullet isn’t working anymore.  And I have no clue how to activate it or whatever.”  Sam squeezed Kara’s hand before placing it back on the table.  She pulled her pants back up and buttoned them.  “That’s not the only thing.  Prior to the bullet, I was having nightmares.  A burning planet.  My skin covered in dark glyphs.  A woman in a dark cloak with a skull-like face, telling me I would ‘reign.’  It was terrifying.  I’ve continued to have those nightmares, but ever since I visited Patricia, I’ve also noticed other strange things.”

Sam avoided Kara’s eyes, fully aware of the worry she would find there.  “I’m missing time, Kara.  Little bits here and there.  Mostly at night.  I think I’m eating more?  It’s not something I’ve done consciously, but I noticed that food was disappearing from my pantry and refrigerator much more quickly than usual.  At first, I thought maybe Ruby was snacking more often, but she insisted that wasn’t the case.  So, it had to be me.  Maybe during the blackouts.”  She threw back the remaining scotch in her glass.  “Kara, the first blackout was after I found that pod.  When I touched it, it lit up in red, and there were some of those same glyphs on its hull.  There was also some sort of crystal that came out of it, about this—” she gestured with her hands, “—long.”

Kara stood and walked away.  She grabbed a notepad and pen and came back, hastily writing something down.  “The glyphs you saw, did they look like this?”  Kara held out the pad, and Sam’s eyes went wide.

“Yes!  Kara, that’s what I saw.  What are those?”

“Kryptonese.  Sam, this is my language.”  Kryptonese?  _But then why aren’t I like Kara.  Am I not Kryptonian?_

“These are like the symbols in my nightmares.  And on my pod.  So … am I Kryptonian?  Why aren’t I like you?”  Another thought occurred to Sam, and before Kara could respond, she added, “Hey, what does this say?”

Kara blushed.  “It says … I mean, it roughly translates to ‘Hey, pretty lady.’ It was … uh, it was the first thing that came to mind.”

“Jesus, Kara, you couldn’t be more adorable if you tried.”  Sam kissed her.  “Seriously.  I’m like crazy into you, in case you were wondering.”  Kara’s already pink cheeks brightened to a loud red.  “So, I mean, I can’t be Kryptonian, right?  You and Superman are the only ones—oh, and that Zod dude that Superman defeated—and all of you have the same powers.  Were you born with those?”

“No.  My powers come from yellow sun radiation.  I’ve experienced them once as a child when I visited a planet with a yellow sun, but I didn’t have them full-time until I came to Earth when I was thirteen.”  She paused, thinking.  “Your pod sounds Kryptonian.  The glyphs are Kryptonese, and our technology was primarily crystal-based.  But yeah … if you were Kryptonian, you should have the same powers as me.  And you should have gotten them as soon as you were exposed to the yellow sun.  I have no idea what is going on.”

 _Shit.  Welp.  So much for that._  Then Kara surprised her.  “But we’ll figure this out, together.  I promise.  You deserve to know where you come from, Sam.”  Kara had one hand on Sam’s thigh, right over the self-inflicted cuts, and the other was rubbing her back gently.  “Would you be willing to come into the DEO?  Let them run some tests?”

Sam thought about it, leaning over and resting her head on Kara’s shoulder.  “I’m scared, Kara.” 

She felt Kara’s hand stroke her hair reassuringly.  “I know, sweetie.  But you can trust them.  They can help you.  I won’t let anything happen to you.”  Sam pulled her head up enough to look Kara in the eye.

“Let me think about it, okay?  Give me the holidays to consider my options.”  Kara nodded.  “And … for now, can this stay between us please?  I haven’t told Lena yet either.  Hell, I only told you because you’re fucking Supergirl, and I figured you might know what’s going on with me.”  Kara’s nose scrunched up. 

“Okay.  But please don’t make me keep this from her too long?  I love her, and I don’t like keeping secrets from her.  Plus… I know she loves you.  She would want to know.”  Sam nodded.  Kara was right, but she just wasn’t ready yet.

“I get it.  I really do.  I don’t like keeping this from Lena.  From Ruby.  But I need to figure this out for myself before I start letting people in.  Letting people run tests on me.”  Kara put her arm around her.  The warmth and strength of her grip was soothing.  Sam sighed.  “Not to jump from one heavy topic to another, but speaking of the holidays … you’re having a party, right?  How are we gonna handle that?”

She searched Kara’s face.  Sam could see conflict, a mind at work.  She waited patiently.  Finally, Kara spoke, in the softest, most precious voice Sam had ever heard.  “I really like you.  I … Lena was great after you dropped me off.  So excited to hear about our date.  I think she was mad at you for not telling her about the escape room—her curiosity nearly killed her.”  Sam giggled.  “I need to talk to her about a few things, and I don’t know, maybe I should hold off on that until you’re ready to let her in on your stuff.  But … what you and I have is real.  I’m sure of that.  I don’t want to hide from it.”

“So …”

“ ** _So_** , I’m not going to go announcing that we’re dating, but … I’ll talk to Alex about it.  And you and Ruby are of course invited.  I don’t want to pretend.  Let’s just hang out.  Be natural … if that raises questions, so be it.  We can answer them as they come.”

Sam frowned.  “I’m not … unopposed to that idea.  You know I don’t like hiding.  I’m just trying to think about whether to explain things to Ruby beforehand.  Or maybe just don’t bring her to the party, that way I don’t have to worry about getting her home by bedtime.  I **_hate_** how much I am hiding from her right now.  But …”

“You don’t know how she’ll take it.  And you want to protect her.”

“Yeah.”  Sam’s heart warmed at Kara’s empathy.  “I don’t know.  One other thing for me to figure out over the holidays.  But you’re sure that Lena is okay with us?  She seemed remarkably enthusiastic the couple of times she and I have talked about it, but I still worry about her.”

“Come on Sam, you know her maybe better still than I do.  If she is determined to hide something from us, we probably won’t know.  But.  I believe her.  I believe that she is genuinely …”  Kara trailed off, a slight smirk on her soft lips.  “What’s the word?  Compersion?”

Sam felt her face break out into a broad smile that matched how she felt on the inside.  “Kara Danvers, have you been reading up on polyamory?”

“Maybe a little.”  _Fuck me, she’s so cute._ “I figured, if I’m going to do this, I should do it right.  Everything is all new, and I don’t want to mess it up.  We didn’t have words like polyamory and monogamy on Krypton, but I don’t think relationships were so strictly regulated by societal expectation like they are on Earth.  I don’t really remember.  Everything I’ve learned about relationships has mostly been on Earth, and I see now that a lot of the messages I’ve received have been toxic.  So … I’m doing my own research.”

Sam giggled, then put a hand on both sides of Kara’s jaw.  She peppered her face with kisses until Kara was giggling along with her.  “You are amazing.  I am so happy to know you, to be able to experience **_this_** with you, whatever this turns out to be.  You’re an absolute sweetheart, Supergirl.”  Kara beamed at her.

“Oooooo ooo, can I see you in the suit?!”  Before the words were out of her mouth, Sam felt a sudden draft of wind all around her.  She blinked once, and there was Supergirl standing right in front of her.  Sam played it cool, fixing a sultry look on her face and walking slowly towards Kara.  She paced around Kara, checking her out thoroughly.  Then she placed an arm on Kara’s bicep as she finished her circle, stepping in tantalizingly close to the superhero.  “This—” Her hand traced from Kara’s bicep over her shoulder and down to the sigil imprinted across her breasts, “—is just incredibly sexy. Did you know that?”

To Sam’s joyful surprise, Kara didn’t turn into a sputtering mess.  Instead, she leaned in confidently and whispered, “Oh, I’m aware.”  A shiver shot down Sam’s spine.  _Was the flustered Kara Danvers charm all an act?  I want to find out._

Sam closed the distance between their faces and teased, “Someone’s cocky.”  Kara’s arms were around her before she could blink, and she heard a slight whimper release from her own mouth.  _Holy shit._ Usually Sam was the one making girls whimper.  Just before she kissed Kara, she murmured, “This is going to be **_fun_**.”


	17. The Holiday Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and Kara host a holiday party at the penthouse. Eliza is in town, but Kara and Sam aren't quite ready to tell everyone about their quasi-coupledom. Plus, get ready for all the character interactions you've never seen before, because fun. Fun is why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the longest chapter I've ever written, but I wanted the holiday party to all be one chapter, and I just love all of this too much to cut any of it. Hopefully, you feel the same way.

** Chapter 17 **

December 23 came so much quicker than Kara had expected, but here it was.  Eliza’s flight got in just after lunch, and Kara’s first step was to get her set up in the loft, where she was staying for the three days.  Then they were off to the penthouse to start preparing for the party.  Kara had already decorated both the penthouse and the loft to the nines, but there was still dinner to prepare.  Lena came home from work early to lend a helping hand, and Alex and Maggie had showed up an hour or two later with Gertrude, cookies, and egg nog ingredients.

“Holy shit Li’l Danvers, you weren’t playing around on these Christmas decorations.”

“She never has, Maggie!  From her very first holidays on Earth, she’s always embraced the traditions and the décor.”  Eliza loved to tell that story, but Kara always worried a little about anything that would bring up memories of Jeremiah.

“Uh duh.  Winter solstice celebrations are among my favourite things about Earth.  Christmas.  Hanukkah, solstice, Kwanzaa, new year’s … they’re all wonderful.  As is the idea of decorating your home and celebrating the end of the year with friends and family.  There was nothing like that on Krypton.”

As the sun slowly set over the city, the five of them put the finishing touches on the spread for the party, and then Kara and Lena went to go change just before people were supposed to arrive.  It took a tremendous amount of willpower for Kara to not immediately take Lena’s elaborate patterned beaded dress right off of her when she saw Lena in it.  But people were starting to arrive, so she settled for a deep, passionate kiss.

Before long, Sam, Winn, Lyra, James, Lucy, Vasquez, and J’onn had all filled out the open space of their living area, mingling and laughing and talking.  Kara and Sam had hugged tightly, sharing a look as they tried not to linger for too long.  With Eliza around, they had agreed that it wasn’t quite the right time to let people in on the fact that they were dating.  Not only was it a lot of pressure on Sam, meeting the mom, but they wanted people to have fun.  No need to burden them with misunderstandings, fraught conversations, or distracting questions. 

Even so, Kara needed a moment alone with her.  “Here, let me take your coat.  I’ve got something to show you really quick in the bedroom.”  She and Lena locked eyes, and Lena knew to cover so that no one would disturb them.

Pulling her in and shutting the door behind them, Kara found herself shoved against the door roughly as Sam locked her lips in a tight, hungry kiss.  Kara wrapped her arms around Sam’s waist and kissed her back with equal fervor.  Then she supersped out of Sam’s grasp before they could lose track of time.  “I got you something!”

“And here I was hoping you were just looking for an excuse to kiss me with all your friends and family just outside.”  Kara’s face got warm, and she felt at a loss for words all of the sudden.  Sam just laughed.  “I kinda feel like that will never get old.”

“Ugh.  Hopefully at some point, I’ll build up an immunity to your antics.  And … yeah, I really wanted to kiss you, but that’s not why I brought you back here.  I got you a present, but not anyone else because this isn’t a gift-giving sort of party.  But I wasn’t sure if I was going to see you in the next couple of days.”  She held out the small box wrapped perfectly in bright red paper with a green stick-on bow.  “Open it!”

They sat down together on the edge of the bed, and Sam carefully unwrapped the box.  Pulling off the lid, she drew the watch from within.  It was a rose gold watch with a black leather band.  The face was a shimmery pearl, and on the back of the watch, “S + K” was delicately inscribed inside a heart.  Kara had worried that it would be cheesy, but Lena had assured her that it was cute and really sweet. 

“Kara, this is gorgeous.”  Sam trailed her finger along the watch’s edge.

“It’s not just a watch.  So you pull the crown of the watch—did you know it was called that?—out, you can wind the watch.  You know, as you do.  But, if you push the crown all the way in and hold it for three seconds, it will signal me.  In case of emergencies.  That need Supergirl, obviously.  Lena has one too, but hers is a more Lena style.” 

When Sam’s eyes moved from the watch to Kara’s face, they were watery.  She wrapped Kara in a fierce hug, then surprised her by kissing her on the tip of her nose.  Kara giggled in delight.  “Babe, this is so sweet.  Thank you so much.  You … a lot about my life scares me right now, but you make me feel safe.”  That’s all Kara really wanted—that was the thought behind the gift. 

“I’m so glad you like it.  And … you are safe.  I care about you, and I won’t ever let anything happen to you.”

“Now I feel like a jerk because my gift isn’t half as good.”  _Gift?_   Kara’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You didn’t have to get me anything, Sam!  I mean … it’s still early.  I wasn’t even sure we were at the gift-giving stage of our relationship yet, but now that you know I’m Supergirl, it was important to me that you have that watch.”

Sam put a finger to her lips.  “Hush now, Blondie.  Of **_course_** , I got you a gift.”  She pulled a thin rectangular box out of her coat pocket, wrapped in simple navy paper with a thin red ribbon and bow.  Kara couldn’t unwrap it nearly as gracefully as Sam had, and she basically just tore the paper off in one fell swoop.”  Inside was a dangly gold necklace with an ornate otter charm, beautifully detailed and with tiny sapphires for eyes.  Kara could help the yelp that came out of her.

“I love it, I love it, I love it!  Sam, this is precious!”  She gestured for Sam to put it on her, then rose to go look at it in the mirror.  “When I look at it, I’ll always think of our first date.”  Sam wrapped her arms around Kara from behind.

“That was kinda the point, dummy.”  Kara twisted her neck enough to give Sam the side eye.  Then she grinned and turned all the way around to face her. 

“Thank you.  I love it.”  She kissed Sam softly.  Her breath tasted like cinnamon, and it was kind of driving Kara crazy.  She wished they had more time alone.  This time, though, Sam was the one who pulled away.

“Hey, I thought about it, and I’m going to take you up on the offer to go into the DEO for testing.  After Christmas Day.  And … I’m going to tell Lena about everything.  She deserves to know, and I’d kinda like to have both of you there when we figure out what the hell I am.” 

Kara pulled her close.  “We’re going to figure this out.  I’m glad you’re telling Lena—we both want to be here for you.  But for now—” Kara sighed, really not wanting to leave it there, “—we have to get back to the party before people get suspicious.”

“Wouldn’t want that,” Sam teased.  “Come on, let’s do it.”  Sam was wearing her new watch already, but Kara slid the necklace down into the top of her dress.  Just for tonight.  Besides, something about feeling it pressed against her skin was both soothing and electrifying. 

They reentered the party just in time to see J’onn wresting control of the music from Winn.  Hall and Oates’ _Jingle Bell Rock_ began playing over the apartment’s speaker system.  Knowing it was better to get it over with, Kara pulled Sam over to where Eliza was chatting with Maggie and Alex.  “Eliza, I’d like you to meet Sam Arias.  She’s Lena’s best friend who just moved to National City a few months ago.”

“Hello dear, it is so nice to meet you.”

Kara was worried that Sam might feel awkward about meeting her Earth mom, but if she was, she certainly hid it behind a brave face.  “Eliza!  I’ve heard so many great things.  How was your flight?”

“Is there any such thing as a good flight?” Eliza asked wryly.  “But it was fine.  Anything to come see my girls.  And **_their_** girls.”  She added this last line as Lena walked up and put an arm around Kara’s waist.  “Lena, Kara was just introducing me to your friend Sam.”

Lena’s grin was devious and not nearly subtle enough for Kara’s taste.  “How wonderful!  Has Sam told you about her **_best girl_**?”  Kara shot Lena a sideways look that was hopefully more subtle than it felt.  Eliza looked at them both curiously.

“She’s talking about my daughter, Ruby.  And no, Lena, we hadn’t made that far into the introduction.”  Suddenly Alex was in the mix as well.

“Oh good, Mom, you met Sam.  Now!”  She addressed the gathered crowd.  “Everyone grab some nog.  But be warned!  This is not your grandmother’s recipe—well, Mom, yes, it is **_your_** grandmother’s recipe, but you all know what I mean.  This is highly potent, intoxicating deliciousness.”  Sam did not need any further excuse to extricate herself from the awkward conversation Lena seemed determined to tease out with Eliza. 

J’onn walked over with a full mug of egg nog.  “You know, I’ve lived on Earth for 300 years, and I’ve never had egg nog before.”  Kara turned to him incredulously. 

But Eliza beat her to the response.  “Well then, J’onn, you’re in for a **_serious_** treat tonight.”  He took a sip, and his brow furrowed ominously.  Then he smiled brightly, in that Space Dad way that Kara so loved.

“This is unlike anything I’ve ever had on Earth!  For some odd reason, it reminds me of home.  I will definitely be sticking with the nog for tonight.  Do people really only drink it around the holidays?”

Lucy overheard the conversation as she was walking by.  “You know what happens when you have too much of a good thing!  Egg nog is best enjoyed as a seasonal treat.”  She clinked her mug to J’onn’s, and the two gave each other a curt nod.  “Director.”

“Director.” 

“Dorks,” came the whisper from behind her as Alex returned to her side.  Lucy, having made her way over to the dining table where Vasquez was seated with Gertrude in her lap, called back to Kara. 

“Kara, you gorgeous talented painter girl, please come here.”  Kara excused herself from the conversation with J’onn and Eliza and walked over.  Vasquez and Lucy were studying the painting she did for Lena.  “This is really amazing, Kara.  We just assumed you did this, please correct me if we assumed incorrectly.”

“No, this is one of mine.”  Kara loved sharing her art with her loved ones.  “This is a representation of one of the first double dates we went on with Alex and Maggie.  When Alex first dyed her hair, and Lena got her tattoo.”

“The colours are so vivid and distinctive.  And don’t think I didn’t notice the hint of a cape you’ve got going there, Kara.”  Vasquez dropped eir voice to a whisper when discussing the cape, looking to be sure no one was listening.

“It’s okay, Vasquez.  Everyone here knows about Supergirl, except Lyra, and come on, she knows about the DEO, about J’onn, about Winn’s work with Supergirl … I’m pretty skeptical we’ll be able to keep the secret from her.  So, why worry about it?”

Lucy was skeptical.  “I don’t know why you even bother pretending to try to maintain a secret identity, Kara.  How many people know now?  I’m surprised Alex hasn’t murdered you.”

“Hey!”  Kara took a lot of precautions to hide her identity from the world at large and specifically coworkers at CatCo and the Tribune.  “It’s just that our friend group has grown the past year.  You tell me how I’m supposed to keep my identity a secret from people who are regularly hanging out with me and a bunch of DEO people.  Once you know the DEO, it’s hard not to see that the blonde superhero they work with and the blonde friend they hang out with are one and the same.”

Lucy shrugged, conceding the point.  Vasquez seemed to understand, though.  “You don’t have to tell me twice.  It’s your secret, not mine.”  Gertrude pushed a nose under eir hand, trying to solicit pets.  “I just had no idea you were an artist, in addition to a superhero, singer, and journalist.”  Kara blushed at the ‘singer’ reference.  She had caught Vasquez covertly listening in on a number of occasions when Supergirl was absent-mindedly singing during flight.

“Gah.  I don’t know.  I just love painting … it was the first thing I learned to do that soothed me after I came to Earth.  The fact that people seem to like my work … that’s just the cherry on top.”  As they conversed, Kara had turned so that she was still facing Lucy and Vasquez but could also survey the entire party.  The sight of all her friends and family, gathered together amid the warm holiday décor in the home she shared with Lena filled her with a sort of overflowing and joyful serenity.  She could have stood here, watching the interactions, for the rest of the night and feel completely fulfilled.  Except that she noticed something concerning.

J’onn’s eyes had flickered between Kara, Sam, and Lena several times since Sam arrived.  Her chest tightened slightly with each new glance, increasingly accompanied by an unmistakably worried look on his face.  His mind-reading abilities did not work on Kryptonians, but he could hear Lena’s thoughts loud and clear.  She couldn’t really be sure if he could hear Sam’s.  But Lena’s were enough.  _He knows._ She shot off a quick message in the group text shared between Lena, Sam, and herself.

**Don’t freak out, but J’onn knows Sam and I are dating.  I didn’t think about his mind-reading abilities.  Sorry!  I trust him not to spill the beans tonight, but I’ll need to have a conversation with him soon.  Just didn’t want you caught off guard if he gave either of you a weird look.**

Sam checked her phone immediately then shot Kara an “oops” sort of look that was too cute to be taken all that seriously.  Kara shook her head reassuringly.  It really wasn’t a big deal.  It just caught her off guard.  _What is Space Dad going to think about all this?_

~~~~

Sam was trying very hard not to feel overwhelmed by the anxieties of keeping her and Kara’s secret while mingling with Kara’s adopted mother and father figure, one of whom could literally read minds.  The nog was helping.  As was Maggie Sawyer’s company.

“You’ve gotta be shitting me.  Screw finance or whatever, did it ever occur to you that you should’ve been a detective?”  Sam had been explaining how she and Kara figured out that the lead poisoning was caused by Edge’s deliberate actions rather than an aftereffect of Lena’s dispersal device.  She’d only hung out with Maggie and Alex a few times, but she and Maggie had already established a rapport.  Probably because they were both unabashedly gregarious and pushy.

Alex was a tougher nut to crack, and it worried Sam.  Kara had mentioned that she had told Alex about her early feelings for Sam, and that the conversation had been a bit strained.  She wondered if that influenced how Alex interacted with her, how she thought of her as a person.  She was playing it cautiously, hoping to get close to Maggie in order to slowly work her way into Alex’s good graces.  That strategy had worked pretty well for Lena after all.

“The thing is, I had some pretty great help with that investigation,” Sam reminded Maggie, warmly.  A smile rose to her lips unbidden as she remembered those brief lingering moments with Kara, the ways in which their shared concern for Lena had worked together with their blossoming mutual attraction to create such an atmosphere of closeness.  “It’s wonderful that Supergirl has such a strong team to rely on in her superheroing, but I’m pretty sure she was always going to be great at it, all on her own.”

“Well, I’d like to think that’s just me and Danvers rubbing off on her, but you may be right.  She’s pretty awesome.”  Something like suspicion glittered behind Maggie’s soft brown eyes, but in a way that made Sam feel safe.  Maybe it was just the dimples.

“Actually, Kara and I have been pulling detective capers since high school.”  Alex had been fairly silent since Sam walked over, and her voice was welcome but a little surprising.  She still found Alex’s face undecipherable, but ever the optimist, she saw this as an opportunity.  Both to learn more about Kara and to interact with Alex.

“Is that right?  What was it like suddenly having an alien sister dropped in your lap?”

Alex’s eyes narrowed as she considered the question, almost as if she was thinking on a deeper level about Sam’s motivations for asking.  Sam was quite sure that Alex could only grasp a couple of her intentions, but deep down, she felt herself motivated by the desire to know how different her life might have been if she had grown up with a sister, or even just the knowledge that she was an alien.

“Well … I guess you could say we went through a few different stages, Kara and I.  When she first arrived, she was thirteen and I was almost sixteen.  A significant age difference, even when you are the same species.  At first, I found her so fascinating—a real life alien living in my hope.  But she was so sorrowful.”  Alex released a sad breath.  “She had lost so much at such a young age, and I had to learn to temper my intellectual curiosity in order to really look after her mental wellbeing.  That was when we first bonded.”

Alex ducked her head back towards the kitchen.  “Come on, I need more nog.  We’ll keep talking.”  It wasn’t until they were in the kitchen that Sam realized Maggie hadn’t followed them.  _Oh shit._

“I went through a short period when Kara joined me in high school where I had settled in with the popular kids, and I was an absolute shit to Kara.  She didn’t exactly make it easy though.  She had just started to feel comfortable on Earth by then, and she was in no mood to put up with my shit.  Or anyone’s for that matter.  You should have seen the disdain she had for schoolwork.  Math and physics were too backwards and primitive, and history was utterly uninteresting.  It was actually a murder mystery that drew us back together.”

Sam could just picture a younger, less mature Kara Danvers scoffing at these backward humans and their underwhelming grasp of science and technology.  She felt the grin break out across her face as her imagination explored the concept of teenage Kara.  “She had an impulse for heroing even then, huh?”

Alex nodded wryly.  “The first boy she had a crush on was murdered by the town sheriff.  Kara wouldn’t stop until she figured out who did it and why, and as we worked through it together, the animosity between us eroded.  It was like we slowly remembered what we had liked about each other when Kara first came to live with us.”  She paused, glancing slyly over her mug.  “Not too different from how you described your own investigation with Kara.”

Sam raised an eyebrow at Alex’s subtle tone but didn’t offer any verbal response.  They had drifted towards the corner of the apartment nearest the entryway, by the liquor cabinet, and there was currently no one in their immediate vicinity.  Alex’s voice dropped in both tenor and volume, as she added just a hint of steel to it.  “Look, I don’t know what is going on between you and Kara, but I trust that if and when there’s something to tell, she’ll tell me.  The idea that there’s some way for you to fit into what she and Lena have is, frankly, baffling to me, but also not my business.  Just know, even when Kara and I were at each other’s throats in high school, I was fiercely protective of her.  I trust her judgment, but I’ve spent my entire adult life looking after her.  Tread carefully, and do not hurt her.”

Unsure exactly how to respond, Sam simply nodded.  It wasn’t her place to try to explain to Alex what was going on between her and Kara, and she wasn’t sure she could explain her own feelings of protectiveness for Kara without revealing that.  Still, she could reassure Alex in another way.  “Look, if you trust nothing else, just know that Lena is my family.  I’ve never seen her as happy, as fully herself, as she is with Kara, and I would never do anything to endanger that.  And for what it’s worth, I wouldn’t hurt Kara.”

“Good.  Because confusing relationship dynamics aside, I really like you, Sam.  I’d love to get to know you—and Ruby!—better, and soon.  But Kara is my first priority.”

“I’d like that.  And I think you and Ruby would get along great, as long as you don’t mind her picking your brain about everything Supergirl.”  Alex chuckled, and Sam decided to push her luck.  “Since we’re maybe, kinda, sorta starting to be friends now … I have to ask.  Who wears a camo turtleneck sweater to a holiday party?”

Based on stories from Lena, Sam expected a retort that contained a barely concealed reference to the sorts of violence Alex was capable of, but Kara’s sister surprised her yet again.  “I’d like to see you try to match purple hair with the standard holiday-themed colours.”  Then Alex threw back the rest of her nog, winked, and walked away.

~~~~

Lena was well-practiced in the art of hosting a party, and she was careful to make her way around the party, going from group to group and giving each person a measure of consideration and attention.  As she did so, she noticed James Olsen taking the occasional photograph.  Lena could find no rhyme or reason to what moments and scenes he chose to capture as the night progressed.  But he was the expert.  Unfortunately, he appeared to have noticed her noticing him, and she abruptly found her in conversation with the very large photographer.

She didn’t quite no how to feel about James.  Kara had been very upfront about how often she and James had argued about whether or not Lena was a beautiful, kind person trying to do good or a deplorable sociopathic murderer hiding in plain sight.  She guessed that he had warmed to her since she and Kara had been dating, but it was hard to forget his unwillingness to give her any benefit of the doubt.  She knew that Kara had never quite been willing to fully repair that relationship because of how he felt about Lena.

“Ms. Luthor, your home is lovely.”  Lena force a smile to her face.

“Thank you, Mr. Olsen, but given that you’re good friends with Kara, and you’re in our home for a friends and family holiday party, I think probably ‘Lena’ should be just fine.”  She paused, then catching him slightly off guard, asked, “Would you prefer ‘James’ or ‘Jimmy?’”

He stiffened, and she could tell he hadn’t expected her to put him on his heels so easily.  _Yes, I’m quite skillful, Mr. Olsen, and you’re in my home, after all._   “I uhhh … thought I left Jimmy behind in Metropolis, but who even knows at this point.  You can call me whichever.”

Lena hated when people did that.  _It’s not up to me to decide what to call you._   She began analyzing her options for escaping this conversation, which was already super awkward after only a single exchange.  No obvious avenue presented itself.

“So, have you tried the famous Danvers egg nog?”  Lena couldn’t stop herself from looking pointedly down at the glass of scotch in her hand. 

She made a face before answering, “Um.  It’s tempting I suppose, but I think I’ll stick with my scotch.”  At this point, she hoped the overt discomfort between them would scare him off.  But apparently James Olson was bad at reading the room.

 “I uhh, I just wanted to say I’m sorry.  For everything that happened with Morgan Edge.  I may have had my problems with you in the past, but trying to frame you like that was despicable.”  _Trying to frame me?_

“Yes well, trying to murder me via cargo plane wasn’t great either.”  Lena was trying to remain civil, but James was just so tone deaf.  It seemed clear to her that he only tolerated her because the rest of the group did.  This effort to sympathize with her felt categorically forced.  But at least he had given her a worthwhile topic of conversation.  “Morgan Edge is a sociopathic cockroach.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t exactly distinguish him from the majority of his powerful white male cohorts.  They’re all the same.  They act like bullies—and in Edge’s case, turn to murder—because underneath it all, they’re scared to death of a powerful woman they can't control.”

James didn’t quite seem to know what to say to that.  He fiddled with his camera awkwardly, then offered, “Yeah, well, hopefully the cops can actually catch him before he’s able to try anything like that again.”  He shrugged awkwardly, then made a beeline towards where Winn and Lyra were conversing.  Lena breathed a sigh of relief.  Catching sight of Vasquez and Lucy playing with Gertrude over by the TV, Lena headed that way.

As she got closer, Gerty hid behind Vasquez’s leg.  “Awww, it’s okay little Gert, Auntie Lena isn’t going to hurt you.  I just want to scratch you behind the ears.  You like that, don’t you?”  Lena gave the pup her best baby voice, but Gertrude’s only response was to shiver at her.

“Still hasn’t warmed up to you, huh?”  Lucy’s voice was light and cheerful, but sympathetic.

“Nah.  So far, I’ve only seen her truly comfortable around Alex, Maggie, and Vasquez.  You’ve got a gift there.”  Vasquez nodded.

“I don’t know what it is either, but this precious angel is so afraid of the world.  I don’t know what trauma she’s survived.  But I say just give her time.  She’s around you and Kara often enough that surely she’ll let you in sooner or later.”  Lena sat down next to Vasquez.  Lucy was standing in front of the TV facing them.

“Hey, can I ask an extremely awkward question?”  The query was directed at Lucy, but Lena glanced sympathetically at Vasquez as she asked. 

“You can ask, and then we’ll see whether I feel like answering, yeah?”  Lucy grinned at her like it was a dumb question that she didn’t mind at all.

“Fair enough.”  She glanced over at James.  “You really dated that guy?  Has he always been so wooden and awkward?”

Vasquez snorted into a laugh that ey tried but failed to contain.  Lucy glared at em.  “James is … yeah, I’m not making excuses for him.  If he trusts you, he can be a genuinely sweet and caring guy.  But like Kara’s cousin, he can be rigid, to his own detriment.  Not to mention overprotective.”

“Kara told you they almost dated, right?”  Vasquez seemed genuinely concerned. 

“Yes, she told me.  But given how she currently feels about him, that’s genuinely difficult for me to imagine.”  Kara made it seem like James, along with Winn, had been her closest friend during her first year as Supergirl, a vital resource who supported her and imparted wisdom.  But the falling out had been brutal.  For as long as Lena had known him, she definitely couldn’t see whatever prior version of James Kara had described.

“Well, Kara broke it off with him basically right when you came to town.  And he was besties with Superman.  So, I don’t know if it’s the Luthor thing or the fact that Kara was really **_really_** not subtle with her crush on you… but he was never going to like you.” 

Lena looked for confirmation from Lucy.  She sighed and explained, “Fuck, man.  I don’t like talking shit about James.  He really is a good guy deep down, but I can’t pretend he hasn’t seemed sorta lost the last year or so.  I wasn’t here for whatever went down between him and Kara when shit blew up with you and your mom, but yeah, he doesn’t let go of grudges easily.”

As long as they were shooting the shit about James, Lena had one more burning question to ask.  “So … did you ever think there was something between James and Winn?”

Vasquez spit out a mouthful of water.  Gertrude was so startled that she shot across the room in search of Alex.  Lucy immediately shouted at em, “No!  We are not talking about this.  No.  You hush!”

“Babe!  Come on, Lena totally sees it too!  Those two are endgame.”  Vasquez’s voice was beyond enthusiastic, and it only made Lucy groan harder.

“Look, all I’m saying is … if this whole Lyra thing doesn’t work out, we need to get to work on this.  Has James ever dated a boy before?”  Lucy rolled her eyes at the both of them, before moving in closer, determined not to be overheard. 

“No, he hasn’t!  But—” Lucy’s voice dropped to a full whisper, “—I always kinda wondered with him and the big guy, you know?”  Lena’s eyes went wide.

“Oh my god, Lucy!”  She leaned in further.  “Does James have a thing for Supers?”  They all burst into laughter, drawing looks from the rest of the room.  _Oh shit, I’m a little drunk._   “You two are fun as hell, you know that?”

Vasquez punched her jovially.  “Fuck yeah, we are!  Of course we know that.  You’re not too bad yourself.  You know, for a Luthor.”  Lena narrowed her eyes, fixing Vasquez with her coldest Luthor stare.  “Yikes!  Luce, I think Lena just froze my heart with her eyes, you better check her for alien tech, Director Lady!”

The three of them burst into laughter again, not even caring that everyone was staring.

~~~~

As the evening began to wind down, Eliza insisted on karaoke.  Kara had prepared for this eventuality and brought out the machine and hooked it up to the penthouse’s speaker system.  Sam was beyond curious who would be brave enough to have a go, and what song they would choose.

Kara played the host, standing with the microphone and her cued up playlist of holiday karaoke tunes.  Everyone else was seated, a good audience.  Eliza, Lena, and she were crowded onto the smaller couch, while Maggie, Alex, Vasquez, and Lucy packed the larger one.  The others had pulled up stools and chairs from the dining table and bar.  Adorably, Winn was sitting in Lyra’s lap, though maybe that was part of the reason he was the first to volunteer.  As Kara handed off the mic, she came and perched herself on the arm of the couch beside Sam, stretching her arm across the back of the couch to rest a hand on Lena’s shoulder.  In the process, Kara’s arm also pressed against the back of Sam’s hair ever so subtly, and she grinned at the contact.

Winn’s rendition of the Michael Bublé’s version of _Santa Baby_ was so soulful— _and fine, I’ll admit it, sexy_ —that it couldn’t be funny.  In the abstract, the idea of Winn singing the song most famous for Marilyn Monroe’s scandalously seductive performance for JFK was objectively ridiculous, and therefore, hilarious.  But the dude could sing.  He made it his own, even throwing in a few subtle moves.  After he finished, the crowd went wild.

Kara took back the mic, but before she could ask who was next, Vasquez popped up, depositing Gertrude into Alex’s lap.  “Feels like we could use a change of pace, so that no one has to actually try and follow that.”  Ey whispered in Kara’s ear, and Kara’s face instantly lit up in excitement.  She nodded enthusiastically at Vasquez and pulled up the song.  Ey was **_not_** kidding about the change of pace.  Eir handling of Ludacris’ _Ludacrismas_ was far from perfect, but what ey lacked in rap skills ey more than made up for in charisma and confidence.  _Shit, is every one of Kara’s friends talented?_   Sam resolved that she was definitely not participating.

Unfortunately, Kara had other ideas.  As she got up to take the mic back from Vasquez, she tapped Sam on the shoulder and gestured for her to join her.  “Uhhhh nope.  No way, Kara.”

“Saaaaaaam, just come here.  I have an idea.”  Before she could react, Lena shoved her up off the couch, giggling wildly.  The room was quiet, wondering what Kara had in mind.

“Everyone talk amongst yourselves, I just have to convince Sam to do a song with me really quick.  It’ll be worth the wait, I promise!”  Sam shot Kara a death glare, but the blonde was indomitable.   She pulled Sam into the corner and explained in a hushed voice what she had in mind.  “You know NSYNC’s _Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays_ like the back of your hand, right?”

Sam’s eyes went wide, her mouth falling open.  “Kara, no!” she hissed.  “I mean, **_yes_** , of course I know it like the back of my hand.  But I am **_not_** a singer, and I’m not about to embarrass myself in front of all your friends.”

“Samantha,” Kara scolded.  “No one will judge you.  This is all in good fun.  Plus, it will be soooo cute.  If nothing else, Lena will love it.  Don’t you wanna do it for Lena?”  Kara turned her puppy dog eyes on Sam, and she knew she was screwed.  Sam knew she shouldn’t have had that glass of wine after all the nog she had consumed.  She couldn’t believe she was actually considering it. 

She sighed loudly.  “Fuck it.  But only because I’m too drunk to resist how adorable you are when you pout.”

“Yay!  Okay, this will be easy.  I’ll take the JT parts, you take the JC parts, and will sing the choruses together.”  That actually sounded super cute, as much as Sam hated to admit it, and she was a little relieved since the JC part was a little more in her range.  _Oh well, Kara and I will both look stupid together, and it’ll be a fun bonding experience.  Whatever._

“Okay, got it.”  Kara smiled that brilliant smile of hers, and Sam was powerless against Kara’s ability to fill her with joy.  They moved to the machine, and there was the briefest sensation of moving air as Kara magically pulled a second mic out of the ether.  _Super speed is so cool._   As the music started, everyone’s eyes shifted to her and Kara, and Sam did her best not to shrink under their rapt attention.

Kara had the opening line of the song, and Sam was so stunned that she missed her “Merry Christmas” that was supposed to immediately follow Kara’s line.  _What the fuck?!_ Conflicting sensations warred in Sam’s chest.  Kara’s voice was angelic, and it filled Sam’s heart with admiration and love.  It also caused her chest to tighten in anxiety, because there was no way she could possibly match Kara’s ability.  _Shit shit shit._ Fortunately, she was fast on her feet and unwilling to back down from a challenge.  _Fuck it, I’m in it now anyway.  No backing down._

Sam just barely avoided missing her cue for the first verse.  She nearly faltered again when Kara unexpectedly came in with the background harmony halfway through the verse.  But she made it through as best she could, and by the first chorus, Kara had her arm around Sam’s shoulders, steadying and encouraging her.  Lena’s bright smile helped as well. 

She pulled away from Kara’s arm so she could take in the whole effect of Kara’s verse.  She was incredible, and Sam wondered if Kara wasn’t some sort of literal goddess after all.  As much as she loved NSYNC, if given the choice, she was sure she would choose Kara’s voice over Justin Timberlake’s.  She was so busy admiring Kara that she missed the first line of the chorus, and Kara shot her a look.  Sam smirked in response but was immediately back in it.  They made it through the rest of the song without further incident, and by the end, Sam didn’t feel so self-conscious anymore.  As the final notes played, she whispered in Kara’s ear, “Thanks for making me do this, Blondie.”

As she sat back down, Lena smirked at her.  “Somehow I just knew when Kara pulled you aside that it would be NSYNC-related.  That was adorable, by the way.” 

“Yeah well, it’s hard to say no to your girlfriend, as I’m sure you’re aware.”  They laughed, and Sam was surprised to hear Eliza laughing along with them.  Sam felt suddenly awkward, like maybe the ease she and Kara had around each other gave them away to Eliza.  But nothing on the older woman’s face gave her any concern, so she banished the worry from her mind.

Next up was J’onn’s very drunken rendition of Hall and Oates’ _Jingle Bell Rock_ (the third time that night he had forced the song upon everyone).  It was really bad, but in a cute dad sort of way. 

Lena’s rendition of She & Him’s _Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas_ worked really well, in part because Lena’s tiny bits of accent added a sultry layer to it that had Sam more than a little turned on.  Not to mention the fact that she pulled it off with the same amount of self-assurance with which she did most things in life.

James might have been the biggest surprise, not for his talent but for his choice of song.  He offered a passable take on Wham!’s _Last Christmas_ , a choice that Sam respected the hell out of.  She hadn’t figured James for an 80s music buff, but she’d also had all of two conversations with the man.

Eliza’s performance was subdued but sweet.  She chose the Amy Grant version of _Hark, the Herald Angels Sing_.  Sam noticed Kara tearing up as Eliza sang, and it filled her with warmth.  Lena noticed it too and wrapped Kara’s hand up tightly with her own.  The three of them, and most of the rest of the room, clapped wildly as she finished.

By then, people were starting to crash a little, and Sam thought that Alex would be the final singer of the night.  Her choice was so out there that Sam had to google it.  She had never heard of the Swedish rock band The Hives, and the fact that Alex knew Cyndi Lauper had teamed up with them for this strange original Christmas song, _Christmas Duel_ , told Sam a lot about Alex’s personality.  And she absolutely killed it.

No one volunteered to follow Alex, and several people got up to start cleaning up in preparation to go home.  “Hold on!  Just one more song, please.”  Kara’s sweet voice froze everyone in their tracks, and they all took their seats once more.  As the music queued up for Mariah Carey’s _All I Want For Christmas Is You_ , Lena put her arm around Sam.  Prior to tonight, Sam would’ve thought the idea of taking on Mariah’s classic Christmas ballad for karaoke was a truly terrible idea.  Then she realized that Kara’s superpowers included an astounding vocal range, and so she had to prepare herself    for the powerful emotions she was sure Kara would stir up inside her.  She and Lena shared a brief look before turning their attention to Kara.  A look that said, ‘We are both such garbage for this beautiful woman.’

It was even better than Sam expected.  She had not been ready.  Kara was completely unsubtle about the fact that she was serenading both Lena and Sam.  Her eyes never left them, and they fixed on Sam’s eyes specifically nearly as much as they did on Lena’s.  Fortunately for them, with Lena and Sam sitting so close together, everyone else in the room was free to assume they were watching a cute romantic moment between the couple hosting the party. 

For Sam, however, it was something entirely different.  It was the moment when she first really began to believe that this new construction of the relationships between herself, Kara, and Lena could actually work out.  **_Would_** actually work out—and in a way that would enrich each of their lives.  Lena’s arm didn’t leave Sam’s shoulders through the entire song, and Sam could feel the contentment and bliss radiating off of her as she took in the sights and sounds of Kara sharing her love, through song, with both of them.  She wished the song would never end.

But of course, it did, as all things do.  Sam blinked back tears and squeezed Lena’s hand before she pulled her arm back from Sam’s shoulders.  Her thoughts stayed with Kara’s performance, and how it affected her, even as people began saying their goodbyes and leaving.  She offered to stay and help Lena clean up while Kara flew Eliza back to the loft.

Once they were alone, Sam spoke softly to her best friend in the world.  “Lee, I’ve gotta tell you something.”  They were standing together at the sink, washing dishes in tandem.  Lena glanced over once, catching Sam’s eyes, but otherwise continued with her task and waited for Sam to continue.  “This is going to sound crazy.  Maybe less crazy than it would’ve sounded when we first met, but still.”  She took a breath.  “I … am an alien.”

Lena’s eyes shot to Sam’s face immediately, hands dropping the cup they had been rinsing.  She turned and moved slightly away from the sink, eyes never leaving Sam’s.  She didn’t bother hiding the emotions stirring behind her eyes.  Sam witnessed a troubling cocktail of confusion, shock, betrayal, anger, and concern pass over Lena’s face.  Sam just waited, knowing her friend would eventually come to a considered answer.

Finally, Lena asked in a thin, cautious voice, “How could you never tell me?”  _Fuck._   It had never occurred that Lena would take it that way, jump to that conclusion.  Her body carried her forward, wrapping her arms around a suddenly very stiff Lena.

“Lee, no.  No!  I haven’t …  I didn’t …”  She pulled back, placing a firm hand on each of Lena’s shoulders.  “I didn’t know until about a month ago.  I wouldn’t— ** _couldn’t_** —have kept this kind of secret from you all these years.  I promise.”  Lena’s features softened, and concern won out over the other emotions displayed on her face.  She wrapped her arms around Sam.

“Darling, are you okay?”  Sam let herself fall into Lena’s embrace, which had always been a place of comfort for her.  She ran her fingers through the soft and sleeks strands of Lena’s ponytail.  After a minute, she breathed out all the tension in her body and took a step back.

“I’m … getting there.  At first, I was terrified.   I hid from it.  I was scared to tell anyone, to even acknowledge it was real.  But then when Kara told me she was Supergirl—”

Her voice drifted off, and Lena finished the thought for her.  “You felt safe enough to talk about it with someone who would understand.”  Lena paused, clearly thinking about what she wanted to say next.  “So … how did you find out?  How is it that you’ve lived all these years without knowing?”

“Patricia hid it from me.”  Sam couldn’t keep the anger from her tone.  “I came to Earth as a baby in a pod, and she covered it up and lied to me my entire life.”  Sam explained about her discovery of the bullet that couldn’t penetrate her skin and the journey into her past that she took while Lena was away.  Then she detailed the nightmares, her own attempts at figuring out if she had powers, and the discussion that she and Kara had shared about her mysterious connection to Krypton.

“So, you don’t have any idea why you were invulnerable at the shooting but not at any time since?”

“Not a single one.  And that’s why I’ve agreed to let the DEO run whatever tests on me.  I need to know.”  They were both leaned up against the side of the kitchen island facing the kitchen, with no space between them.  Lena softly reached over and pulled Sam’s head down to rest on her shoulder.

“Sam, I’m sorry you’ve had all of this forced on you so suddenly.  But Kara and I will be here with you through it all.  We’ll get you those answers—if the DEO can’t figure your heritage out, then L-Corp will.  I promise.”  Sam closed her eyes, giving into the comfort of Lena’s shoulder and reassuring words.  “You’re not alone in this.”

They both started at the sound of the balcony door opening, and as they turned to face her, Kara added, “No, you’re not.”  They walked around the island and met Kara, and the three of them embraced each other.  Kara kissed Sam softly, then Lena.

“You’re gonna take the next couple of days to enjoy the holidays with Ruby, and then we’ll set up a time to go into the DEO, right?”  Sam nodded.  “Lena, you’ll come with us?”

“Of course I will.”  Sam could feel her eyes tear up as she thanked whatever gods existed for the presence of these two women in her life.  She had spent so much of her life feeling isolated.  Her against the world, just trying to make ends meet to give her daughter the best life possible.  She wasn’t quite sure how she had found her way into this incredible, unorthodox family, but she treasured it.  Treasured this moment.  Whatever scary unknown faced her with all these alien questions, she knew that she could rely on Lena and Kara.  That they would be her rock.

“This last month has been tough for me, and I couldn’t have gotten through it without you both.  I definitely couldn’t face what is to come without you.  I’m so grateful for you.”  She held back tears, collecting herself so she could add, “I love you guys.”  The three of them hugged tightly again as Kara and Lena returned her sentiments. 

“Let me fly you home.  I’ll bring you your SUV tomorrow, I promise.  But you’re in no shape to drive right now.”  Sam smiled and nodded.  She’d never flown with Supergirl before.  She turned to Lena and shared a look of love and gratitude, then kissed her cheek goodbye.

“Alright then, take me home, Supergirl.”  Kara took her hand before turning to Lena.

“I’ll be right back, okay.”  Lena grinned and nodded.

“Get my best friend home safe, Supergirl, or there will be hell to pay.”  They all laughed at that, then she and Kara were out onto the balcony and then into the air.  Sam was so filled with love for Lena and Kara that flying barely phased her.  It seemed like hardly any time passed before Kara deposited her onto her front porch.

They held hands, facing each other.  “Happy holidays, Supergirl.”

Kara leaned in, whispering, “Happy holidays, Ms. Arias,” before locking her lips with Sam’s.  The kiss was deep and meaningful, cut through with all the emotion of the evening.

“Talk to you soon?”  Kara nodded, and they exchanged one last soft peck of goodbye.  Then Kara was gone in a flash, and Sam was off to bed.


	18. On the Edge of Something Big

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danvers family Christmas features an important conversation. Then things start to go to shit.

** Chapter 18 **

Danvers family Christmas was wonderful as always, despite an added layer of tension this year.  It was the first year that their family time would include Maggie and Lena, but Kara had insisted on having a few hours with just the three Danvers women.  She and Lena had discussed it, and Kara needed the time to have an honest conversation with Alex and Eliza about her relationship with Sam.  Maggie and Lena were having breakfast together at the penthouse and would meet them at the loft before lunch.  Maggie, Alex, and Eliza had all expressed varying levels of confusion and resistance to the idea, but ultimately all had agreed, realizing it was important to Kara and Lena.

They had been at the loft for thirty or forty minutes already, drinking coffee and opening presents.  Kara was in the unicorn onesie Alex had gotten her the year prior, and Alex and Eliza were in pajama pants and matching cutesy holiday v-neck t-shirts that Eliza had bought.  They had all agreed to leave the majority of presents to open when Lena and Maggie joined them, but there was a weird vibe of anticipation in the air despite the genuine laughs and love expressed during the present opening.

Finally, they were all sitting on the floor of Kara’s living room, around the coffee table.  Alex broke the tension.  “Kara, is there something you wanted to talk with us about?”  Kara could feel her face betray the apprehension she felt.  “Is it about Sam?”

Kara’s nose crinkled.  She could never hide things from Alex for long.  Eliza, however, was deeply confused.  “What about Sam?”

Kara drew in a deep breath, then released it.  “Sam and I are dating.”  If Alex was surprised, she hid it remarkably well.  Eliza, on the other hand, couldn’t look more shocked if she tried.

“Honey, I’m not sure I understand.  What about you and Lena?  You live together—you’re building a life together.  You seemed just so happy together back in Midvale!  And last night…” Eliza drifted off, her brain working at full speed to wrap around the concept.

“How does Lena feel about all of this?  Kara, she’s been through so much this past year, you really think she can handle whatever the hell this is?”  Alex’s voice was pure skepticism.

Kara could feel the frustration boiling up inside her already but tried her hardest to keep a level head.  “Alex, no.  Lena and I talked it over, just like you said we should.  We talked it over a couple of times in Midvale, and several more times back in National City.  We each had conversations with Sam about it, then all three of us had a no holds barred discussion together.  We didn’t … this isn’t a whim, or something I decided on without so much care and thought.”

She turned her gaze to Eliza.  “Things are great with Lena, Eliza.  The best they’ve ever been, actually.  Couldn’t you see that at the party last night?”  This gave the older woman pause, and Kara could see that Eliza had observed last night what Kara believed was blatantly obvious to anyone who knew Lena and Kara.  They were beyond happy, madly in love, and joyfully building a life together.

Alex was still struggling with it.  She didn’t say anything further, but it was all over the tension in her face.  Kara guessed that had more to do with her own preconceptions about love than it did with her personal experiences with Lena and Kara.  If anyone had been around them long enough to know how solid they were in their relationship, it was Alex. 

“Kara, sweetie, is this some sort of Kryptonian thing?”  Eliza had moved past confusion into a genuine attempt to understand now.

“No—I mean… I think that the concept of romantic or sexual love was probably not limited only to couples of two in Kryptonian society, but I was too young …  Honestly, I don’t really know.  Lena and Sam both explained that while rare, polyamory is not unheard of in human society, and much of the reading I’ve done on the subject recently has confirmed this for me.  But for me … when you **_know_** that something is right, you just know it.”

Now Alex did speak up.  “And you’re not worried that this could screw up your relationship with Lena?  At all?”

“We are solid, Alex.  I would’ve never ever considered this if we weren’t both fully sure of the foundation we have as a couple.  And I’m even more sure of it now that Sam and I have been dating for about a month.”  She sighed, worried that she wasn’t going to get through to Alex.  “Look, feel free to ask her about it when she gets here.”

“But you have to admit that this is strange.  Complicated.  **_Risky._** ”  Kara was okay with Alex pushing, because she knew that was just her overprotectiveness at work.  She knew that Kara was happy with Lena, and she was afraid that Kara was putting that in jeopardy for something Alex didn’t understand.

“It turns out love is worth the risk.”  Kara’s voice was steady, her belief in what she and Sam shared resolute.

“Love?”  Eliza’s question was light, almost ethereal.  “You’re in love with Sam?”

“I …”  Kara’s face blushed.  She hadn’t even quite admitted this to herself yet.  “I think so.  It’s still early, and we’re taking things slowly.  But this is real.”

“And … sweetie I’m sorry if I’m a little old fashioned, but I mean, what does a future look like with … two girlfriends?  I mean … you can’t marry both of them, can you?”

“Eliza!”  Kara was blushing furiously now.  “I mean … Lena and I haven’t even discussed anything like that yet.  None of us are worried about that far in the future right now.   But we’ll figure it out together.”

“What about Ruby?”  Alex’s voice was still tight.

“We haven’t told her yet, but Sam’s not afraid to.  Ruby’s a bright kid, and Sam’s very intentionally raised her in the least traditional ways possible.  It’s a conversation we’ll have with her soon, probably.”

Alex sighed, but her face had softened.  “Was a Super dating a Luthor not complicated enough for you?  You just had to go and add non-monogamy to the mix?”

Kara smiled at Alex, not even bothering to retort.  “It isn’t something I chose, not exactly.  I …  I mean, I— ** _we_** —chose to give this a shot, despite the complications.  But I couldn’t help falling for Sam, nor she for me.  It just happened.  Love is funny that way.  And once we had all talked about it, talked it to death really, it felt wrong to try to deny what our hearts were telling us.”

“So, did Sam figure out the Supergirl secret on her own, just like Lena?”  Alex was getting snarky, which Kara knew was a good sign.

“ ** _No_** , for your information, I told her.  But it immediately made sense to her when I did, and she accepted it immediately.  Gave me crap for keeping things from Lena last year, actually.  I guess they talked a lot about me while Lena and I were working our stuff out.”

Eliza reached out for Kara’s hand, and she gave it to her.  “You’re sure that Lena isn’t just going along with this because she loves you?”  Kara smiled softly.  It moved her deeply how much concern Eliza had for Lena.  She had bonded with Lena so much over that week in Midvale. 

“I’m sure, Eliza.  But like I told Alex, feel free to talk to her yourself.  I’m sure she wouldn’t mind going for a short walk with you later today so that you can talk, just the two of you.”  Kara reached out and took Alex’s hand as well.  “I **_need_** the both of you to know that I am happy.  We are all happy.  Lena and Sam were family long before I met either of them, and we all love each other, in various ways.  None of us would do anything to hurt each other, and we put a lot of thought and communication into this before we did anything.”

“If you’re happy, I trust you to build your life however you see fit, dear.”  Eliza stood, seeking a hug.  After they embraced, Eliza added, “I’m sorry if I seemed judgmental.  I really do just want to understand.  And for you and Lena to be just the happiest.”

“Come here.”  Alex wrapped her in a hug too.  “You know, I had a chat with Ms. Arias last night.”  Kara’s eyes widened, then immediately narrowed.  Sam hadn’t mentioned it.

“Alex, you didn’t threaten her, did you?”

“Me?  Threaten someone?”  Alex faked shock.  “I actually really like Sam.  I’d like to become better friends with her.  And I told her as much.  I also told her that I don’t know what is going on between you two, but that you’re my priority.  And she better not hurt you.  It was a pretty standard big sister chat, honestly.”

Kara rolled her eyes and made a mental note to ask Sam about it.  “But you’re okay with this?  I know you just want to protect me, but I need you to believe that this isn’t something you need to protect me from?”

“I can’t pretend to understand it, Kara.  But I respect it.  I respect that you and Lena and Sam can figure out for yourselves what makes you happy and what you can handle.  Just know that Maggie is going to bug and tease you about it forever.”

 _Oh Rao, she’s right._   “Speaking of Lena and Maggie—we should all get dressed before they get here, in can we decide to go out to the park or something.”  Kara paused.  “Thank you both for understanding, or at least for supporting me.  I love you so much.”

“We love you, too, sweetie.”

“Yeah we do!”

~~~~

Kara’s breast was cozy and soft beneath Lena’s head.  They were cuddled together tightly in bed, after what had been the best Christmas of Lena’s life.  The warmth radiating from Kara’s body matched the warmth that filled Lena’s soul.  She thought to herself that it was very likely she would never tire of the feel of Kara’s skin against her own.

“How did your conversation with Eliza go?”  Lena also loved the duality of the sound of Kara’s voice when she had one ear pressed to her chest.  Such an intriguing sensation.

“A little uncomfortable at first, but overall it went well.  You know, I’ve never really walked around the neighborhood before.  It was quite pleasant, especially in the cool air.  You know she just worries about us, right?”

“Oh, I know.  I think she thinks we’re all a little crazy.  But all she really cares about is our happiness.”

“Yes it is.  It was truly touching how much she cares about me.  In the short amount of time I’ve known her, Eliza has been so much more of a mother to me than Lillian ever was.  Once I explained to her that because I love you so much, I want nothing more than for you to be as happy as possible, I think she started to get it.  Learning to think of love as something that isn’t a limited commodity takes time, but …  I don’t know, it helped when I explained that the overwhelmingly powerful love you feel for her and for Alex doesn’t have any effect on how much love you have to give me.  Just give her time.”  Lena traced her hand along Kara’s hip and upper thighs as she spoke, eyes closed so that she could better appreciate the pure sensation of touching Kara’s body.

“At least Maggie is firmly in our corner.”  Lena giggled.

“Oh please, I always knew Maggs would be cool about it.  Deep down, she’s super into all the kinky and unorthodox shit.  Especially when it comes to ladies loving ladies.”  Lena halted the meandering movements of her hand and squeezed Kara’s hip bone lovingly.  “Darling, thank you.  This was the best Christmas of my life.  I … you and Eliza, and even Alex in her own way, make me feel like part of the family.  The only family I’ve ever been proud to be a part of.  Honoured really.  I love you so much.

She heard the sound of Kara turning off her bedside lamp, and she felt the room fade into darkness.  Kara shimmied her way down further into the bed, lying all the way down.  Lena lifted her head, moving it to her pillow without moving away from Kara’s body.  She could feel her lids growing heavier over her eyes.

“I love you too, creampuff.  And so does my family.  Merry Christmas, Lena.”

“Merry Christmas, Kara.”  Lena barely whispered the words before sinking into a peaceful slumber.

~~~~

Sam’s Christmas had been pretty standard for the Arias household.  Christmas movie marathon in PJs all day on Christmas Eve, complete with copious amounts of hot chocolate, a break for the full lineup of traditional Christmas foods for lunch that left them with enough leftovers for dinner and two meals on Christmas Day, another break for gingerbread house construction, and the opening of one present each just before bed.

This year, Sam had gotten Ruby a Supergirl pendant—a gold chain with a simple gold House of El sigil.  Of course, she couldn’t explain the House of El to Ruby, not yet anyway.  But she did hint at the possibility of maybe meeting Supergirl one day soon.  She thought Ruby might literally explode from excitement.

But the two-day break spent with Ruby wasn’t all great.  Sleep, or lack thereof, was becoming an increasingly challenging problem for Sam.  The nightmares were getting worse, and there were several long periods of time late at night and early in the morning that Sam knew she was awake for but had no memory of.  She was starting to feel increasingly more tired during the day.

She and Kara had exchanged texts over the last three days but hadn’t seen each other since the party.  Ruby had actually asked specifically why Lena and Kara hadn’t come to see them on Christmas.  Sam had explained that Kara and Alex’s mom was in town, and that Kara and Lena were spending the day with Eliza, Alex, and Maggie.  That satisfied Ruby, but in the back of Sam’s mind, she couldn’t help wondering what future holidays might look like.

Now, Sam and Lena were back to work at L-Corp the day after, and L-Corp was working on something big.  The week prior, the National City Tribune had published an expose by Kara that detailed from numerous sources a new policy by the property management side of Edge Global to deny housing applications by aliens.  L-Corp would use this to take a strong stand against Edge.  Secretly, part of Sam wished that Lena had been successful in killing Edge, if not for the pesky trouble of trying to get away with murder.

Lena had waited until after the holidays so that the announcement would not fly under the radar.  Tomorrow morning, Lena would hold a press conference, accompanied by a released statement on behalf of the company, to denounce the ongoing anti-alien practices and discrimination by Edge Global and to explain that L-Corp would no longer do business with Edge or any company associated with him.  Sam was more than a little worried that Lena and Kara’s continuing public antagonism would only increase his desire to kill one or both of them, but Lena and Kara both assured her that they weren’t afraid of him.

And who was she to argue with Supergirl.  Speaking of which, she had a few minutes free, so she called Kara.  She picked up on the second ring, and Sam offered her a sultry, “Hey you.”

“Hi Sam!”  Kara’s cheeriness even radiated through the phone.  “How was your Christmas?”

“Same old, same old.  Ruby had a good time, and that’s what matters.  She actually asked after you and Lena.”

Kara giggled.  “Did she really?  Do you think she’s starting to catch on?”

“Nah.  She’s suspicious of how much you and I have been hanging out alone lately, but she hasn’t put two and two together.  Mostly because she thinks you and Lena are such a cute couple.  Oh … um, so … I may have promised her that there was a decent chance I could possibly arrange a chance for her to meet Supergirl someday soon.”  Sam winced slightly, hoping that the vague promise wasn’t too brazen of her.

“I’m sure I could find a way to arrange that.  You’re going to owe me one, though.”  Sam hadn’t realized that Kara was capable of slipping sex into her voice, but holy shit was Kara’s insinuation nakedly obvious.

“Kara Danvers are you soliciting sexual favours?”  The phone went silent, and Sam could just imagine Kara’s face turning beet red.  “Because I’ll do that for free, you just have to ask.  But—” Sam hated moving off this topic, but she didn’t know how much time Kara had to talk, “—I do have something a little heavier I needed to talk to you about.”

Kara’s response was immediate and full of concern.  “What’s up?”

“The nightmares have been getting worse.  So is the missing time.  I’m really starting to get scared now.  Do you think the three of us can head to the DEO sometime in the next two days to run those tests?  Will there be someone available?”

“Alex is going to help run the tests, but I’ll check with her tonight about her schedule.”  Sam’s face dropped into a half frown.  She was still kind of intimidated by Alex after their conversation at the party and Kara’s explanation of how Alex reacted to the news that Sam and Kara were dating.  “It’ll be fine!  I’ll have to explain what’s going on with you though—is that okay?”

“Alex is your best alien biology person, isn’t she?” 

“Yes.  Xenobiologist, actually.  She’s also a decently trained doctor, and one of the DEO’s best field agents.  Look, I know she’s a lot, but she will take good care of you.  I made it very clear to her what you mean to me.”  Sam’s chest tightened, again worried about Alex’s disapproval of their unorthodox relationship.  But she believed Kara.

“Okay.  Feel free to tell her everything, and let me know when we can do it.  The sooner the better.”

“Sam, I know you’re scared.  I’m sorry it feels like things are getting worse, but we’ll figure this out.  I’m here for you.  Alex will be too.” 

Sam nodded and released a heavy breath.  “I know.  We will.  Thanks, Kara. And …” she hesitated just a second before asking, “Do you think afterwards we can talk about how much I really just want to be able to call you my girlfriend already?  And how we’re going to talk to Ruby about it?”

She heard a sharp release of breath on the other side of the line.  Her question had caught Kara off guard.  Kara’s voice returned, softer this time.  “I want you to be my girlfriend, too.  We’ll definitely talk about it, and about Ruby.  But your health and mental wellbeing come first.”  Some background noise, maybe a voice, interrupted Kara.  “I have to go now, but I’ll text Alex, and I’ll let you know when she’s available.  I’ll let Lena know, too.”

“Sounds good.  Bye, Kara.”

“Bye, Sam.”

~~~~

The sun had already set by the time that Kara made it over to L-Corp.  She and Lena had both had busy days, so this was the first opportunity Kara had to go see her girlfriend.  She needed a quote about L-Corp’s controversial press release that had dropped yesterday in response to Kara’s expose on Edge Global.  Her piece had been damning, and for once, Snapper had actually appreciated her passion.  Everyone from Ms. Grant on down had been so complimentary the past week, and it only added to the joy and fulfillment Kara had found from the holiday developments with her family.

Lena had spent all of today meeting with the board of directors, investors, and various other business partners to discuss the ramifications of the announcement and put together a strategy to ensure they followed through.  Knowing that Lena had already had a long day and would likely be bringing work home with her anyway, Kara had decided on a whim to grab a coffee from the cute little coffee stand just outside L-Corp that Lena loved so much.  She was a little surprised that they were still open, but she simply thanked Rao for her good luck.

Sam was in Lena’s office when Kara arrived, and she greeted them both warmly.  “Sam, if I had known you were gonna be here, I would’ve brought you a coffee, too!”  She handed the cup to Lena.  “The usual.”

“Thanks, darling. I **_need_** this.”

“No worries on my account, Kara, I was actually about to head home.  Are we still on with Alex first thing tomorrow morning?”

Kara nodded enthusiastically, correcting “That we are, and Lena is taking—”  Just then, Lena dropped to the ground, foaming at the mouth as her body went rigid.  “LENA!”  Kara had Lena in her arms and was out the balcony door and into the air in less than a second.  Immediately she hailed Alex on the nearly invisible earbud communicator she always wore tucked into her left ear.

“ALEX!  Tell me you’re still at the DEO!”  Kara couldn’t control how loudly and desperately she shouted.

“I’m here, Kara.  What happened?”

“I think Lena’s been poisoned.  Alex, you have to save her!  I’m almost to you!”  She flew straight into the DEO through the balcony, not even bothering to put her feet on the ground until she placed Lena carefully on the gurney Alex was rushing towards the balcony with. 

“What happened?”

“Someone must have poisoned her.  Alex, I think it was the coffee I brought her.  You have to save her!”  The tears were already flowing down Kara’s face.

“200 milligrams phenobarbital, stat,” Alex ordered to the two DEO medics who had followed her.  She placed a breathing mask over Lena’s face.  “Two liters of saline, run it open.  I want a radial artery line now!”

One of the medics was measuring Lena’s vitals and noted, “Blood pressure, 70 over palp. Pulse is 30 and falling.”

Alex looked Kara dead in the eye.  “I need to know what poison he used.”  Alex didn’t have to explain who she meant by ‘he’—she and Kara had already come to the same conclusion about who had poisoned Lena.

Kara’s mind raced.  “I-I-I don’t know.  She collapsed almost immediately, and there was a white foam in her mouth, and her body went rigid.”

Alex lifted the breathing mask just enough to smell Lena’s breath.  “Almonds.  That’s cyanide!  Get me 300 milligrams sodium nitrite in her IV stat!  We’ll need to follow that up with 12.5 grams of sodium thiosulfate.  Kara, how long has it been?”

“I flew her straight here, Alex!  Can’t be more than two or three minutes!”  Kara knew she was practically screaming, but she couldn’t help it if she tried.

“Okay, I need you to **_carefully_** use your breath to induce a mild hypothermia.  We need to slow down her circulation to prevent the spread of the poison while we get the antidote into her system.”  Kara responded immediately, chilling Lena’s body with her icy breath.  “That’s good, Kara.  Stop!”

After a few minutes, the monitor showed that Lena was stabilizing.  Her vitals returned to something close to normal.  “You saved her,” Alex assured Kara.

Kara wrapped her up in a tight hug, using the minimal amount of effort necessary to ensure she didn’t crush Alex.  “No.   ** _We_** did.”

“Let’s move her to the medbay.  Kara, we’ll need to keep her overnight to keep her oxygenated and monitor her cardiac function.  I understand if you want to stay with her.”

Kara nodded, wiping the remaining tears from her face.  She followed Alex and the medics as they pushed Lena’s gurney into the medbay and got her set up in one of the permanent beds there.  The danger having passed, she remembered Sam and immediately pulled out her phone.  Sam didn’t answer, so she sent a text instead.

[6:48 p.m,.]  **Lena is okay.  Edge poisoned her.  I think it was in the coffee.  Sam, this is all my fault.  But she’s okay.  Alex saved her.  They’re keeping her overnight at the DEO.  I’m going to stay here with her.  I can bring you in if you want to see her, but I know you’ve got Ruby.  Don’t feel like you have to come.  Please give me a call when you get a chance.**

As she typed, she wandered out of the medbay and into the main chamber of the DEO.  One of the many screens in the room was on the local news.  Kara was jarred out of her concern for Lena by the breaking news the reporter was practically shouting about.  As she faced the TV, her chest tightened.  The screen was showing the same several-second clip on replay, a dark figure flying straight into the top floor of the Edge Global building, followed by a flash of red light and then a body thrown from the window all the way to the ground below.  The dark figure then flew out again but paused in the air just long enough to burn a distinct shape into the side of the building with what was unmistakably heat vision.  The chiron at the bottom of the screen read in bright capital letters:

**MORGAN EDGE MURDERED**


	19. Reign

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know we've all been dreading it, but here it is. Reign reveals herself and fights Supergirl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've tried to stay mostly away from canon with this fic, only repurposing setting and scenes here and there where it made sense. However, as you'll see the next part of the Reign arc will be fairly close to the show, just with the added context of everything that has come before it in my fic. Hope that works for people. And sorry the almost girlfriends have to beat each other up.

** Chapter 19 **

“Alex!  Get over here now!”  Thinking Kara was calling from the medbay, Alex sprinted in that direction, stopping and changing direction as she realized Kara was in the main chamber.  “I think we found our alien killer.”

Alex watched the video once, then turned to a nearby agent.  “Get Director J’onzz and Winn Schott in here ASAP.”  She turned back to Kara, already texting on her phone.  “I’m texting Maggie to come in, too.  This is the first time we’ve ever caught the killer on camera.”

 _Why Edge, though?_ “I thought this vigilante only went after violent criminals?”  Kara was thinking aloud, still shocked by what she had witnessed.

“Yeah, because attempted murder isn’t violent at all.”

“But how would the killer have known?  Do you think Edge has put out hits on people other than Lena?”

“Would that really surprise you?  Besides, the killer is clearly an alien, and Edge’s anti-alien policies are widely known now, thanks to you.  Kara…”  Alex chewed on her lip, processing through something.  “Is the killer Kryptonian?”

Kara had been thinking hard about that also.  “It sure looks that way, but …  Alex, I’ve never seen a Kryptonian with red heat vision before, not even that brainwashed bizarro clone that Lord created.”  She turned towards the balcony as J’onn flew in.  He had Winn in his arms.

“J’onn picked me up in the middle of dinner, so this better damn well be—” Winn stopped talking abruptly as he looked at the news stations displayed on multiple screens.  “What the hell?”

Alex quickly began issuing orders.  “Winn get all the footage of this murder as you can—find me the best quality video.  I need you to get us the best images of this killer you can.  Get me a clear image of that design carved into the building, as well.”

“On it.”

She turned to J’onn.  “We think the killer is Kryptonian, but Kara says she’s never seen a Kryptonian with red heat vision.  It’s usually a whitish blue.”

“I’ve never seen this, either, but I agree, by all other measures, it sure seems that we’re dealing with a Kryptonian.  Do you think this is the same killer you and Detective Sawyer have been pursuing?”

“You’re damn right it is.”  Maggie was stalking towards them, clearly winded.  “Also, can I just say ‘good riddance?’”  She and Alex embraced briefly, then she turned to Kara.  “How’s Lena?”

“She’s resting.  I got her to Alex in time.”  Kara’s mind hit on a troubling idea.  “Hey … the timing here is really odd, isn’t it?  Lena gets poisoned, almost certainly by Edge, and less than an hour later, he’s brutally murdered by the alien killer?”  Alex and Maggie wore matching frowns.

Maggie spoke first.  “That is … weird.  Yeah.  But I have trouble imagining what connection there could be between the vigilante and Lena.   Sometimes coincidences do happen.”  Kara wasn’t so sure, but she didn’t have any kind of explanation either.

“Guys?”  They all gathered around Winn’s workstation.  “This is the best I could do with the available footage.  Here is our killer.”  The still image was as large as Winn could get it without further blurring the picture.  The figure appeared to be a woman, all in black, with a dark cape flowing around her as she floated in the air.  Her head was only partially turned towards the camera, and it was too blurry to make out any features.  She may have been wearing some sort of mask.  Her hair was also dark and pulled into a severe ponytail.  The most distinctive feature was the red glow in her eyes, visible even from whatever distance was between the camera and the Kryptonian.  Because Kara was almost sure that this woman was Kryptonian at this point.

“Not much to go on, other than demonstrating our killer is a woman with darker hair.”  Maggie’s voice was full of disappointment.

“Yeah, that’s all we’ve got on her.  But!”  He pulled up a different image.  “It’s too dark to see the design burned into the building, though I’m sure we’ll have a clear image in the morning.” Wincing at the looks Alex and Maggie shot him, he explained, “Calm down, I’m not going to make you wait.  I played with a few different filters aaand—” He gestured towards the image he had just pulled up.  The background was faded into a nearly all grey landscape, but the symbol stood out in a bright magenta. 

Kara gasped.  It was clearly a Kryptonian sigil, shaped just like the House of El sigil.  But the design was unlike anything she had ever seen.  It was like a skull caught with its mouth open in the most sinister laugh.  It sent an unpleasant shiver down her spine.  Suddenly, she felt a powerful urge to act come over her.  She couldn’t keep standing here wondering who this Kryptonian was.

“I need to get out there.”  Alex turned to her in surprise.  “I’m going to try to get Ms. Grant to meet with Supergirl.  I don’t want any doubt in the public’s mind about whether I might have been the one who murdered Edge.”

“Okay, that make sense.  Just stay in contact.  We’re going to keep working on leads to track down this Kryptonian.”  Alex gripped Kara’s bicep tightly.  “And be safe.  If the killer is willing to do something this public now, there’s no telling what she might do.  She might even come after you.”  Part of Kara wished she would.  But the confrontation would come in good time.

“Okay, I will.  Please, keep an eye on Lena for me.  Let me know when she wakes up.”  Alex nodded, and Kara quickly changed and walked out to the balcony, already dialing Ms. Grant’s cell phone.  She had never actually used this number, assuming that it was provided to her solely for emergencies.  She silently thanked Rao when Ms. Grant answered.

“What is it, Kara?  Shouldn’t you be coming into work right now?  I assume you’ve seen the news.”

“That’s what I’m calling about, Ms. Grant.  Supergirl wants to meet with you, on the record.”

“I’m in my office.  I assume **_she_** can get here in the next few minutes?”  Ms. Grant’s voice made it very clear that ‘she’ meant ‘you.’ 

Kara sighed, tired of playing this game.  She answered softly, “I’ll be there,” then hung up and took off into the sky.  Ms. Grant was waiting for Supergirl on her balcony. 

“Any leads on Edge’s murderer?  I’m assuming they’re not on your side?”  Straight to the point as ever.  Supergirl leaned on the balcony edge, releasing as much of her tension out as possible in a long exhale.

“Not much.  We believe she is Kryptonian, and that she is responsible for several other unsolved murders over the past month or so.  But there’s something strange about her, that I haven’t figured out yet.  I intend to do some research tonight.  If you want more information on the investigation of the previous murders, reach out to Detective Maggie Sawyer of the NCPD.”

“What can you tell me about those previous murders?”  Ms. Grant had that tone in her voice—the one where she knew she was onto a big story.

“Like I said, talk to Detective Sawyer.  She can give you more information than I can, if she’ll talk to you.  All I can tell you is that her previous MO has been to kill only violent criminals.  Rapists, abusers, gang members…  Personally, I have no doubt that Edge fits easily into that company, but I’m not sure how the killer would have known that.”  She turned to Ms. Grant.  “It’s important that the public knows this wasn’t me.”  Her eyes fell to her feet as the guilt blossomed in her chest.  “I know that it’s been a long time since … the red kryptonite incident … but it’s important.  This killer is dangerous, and we don’t understand her.  The last thing we need is public distrust of Supergirl interfering with the investigation or any attempts I make to stop her.   The city needs Supergirl to be a beacon of hope right now.”

“Supergirl … I get that you’re still weighed down by the guilt from tossing me off this very balcony.  It’s one of the reasons that you **_are_** a beacon of hope.  You were drugged.  Unable to control your worst impulses.  Most people would accept that they weren’t responsible for their actions in that state.  But not you.  No matter how many times I tell you that I’ve forgiven you, you still carry it with you.  It both burdens and strengthens you.”  Kara finally looked back up at her.

“You’re right, of course.  The city needs Supergirl right now.  You need to find this killer, even if—” she drew in a sharp breath and made a devious face, “—you **_certainly_** won’t ever catch me among those mourning Mr. Edge’s death.  You let me worry about your public image.  You focus on the task at hand.”

Supergirl’s voice was steady, more confident, as she replied, “I will.  Thank you.”  Kara was so grateful to have Ms. Grant back in her life.  Her advice always cut into some hidden reserve of inner strength that no one else seemed to be able to bring out in Supergirl.

Ms. Grant smiled at her, then turned to go inside.  “Now shoo, Supergirl.  And don’t worry—” her voice turned suddenly wry, but she didn’t turn back towards Supergirl, “—I’ll cover for you with Snapper, if need be.”  Kara rolled her eyes but grinned softly.  _Back to work._

~~~~

As Kara returned to the DEO from her trip to the Fortress of Solitude, she felt exhausted by the magnitude of what she had learned.  Not that she had found much.  Alex and J’onn approached her immediately.  “Kara, Lena’s still sleeping, but she’s recovering nicely.  Did the Fortress give you anything Alura couldn’t?”

Her mother’s hologram had very little information on the Kryptonian sigil.  She had explained that it was a symbol that had widespread usage among the old polytheistic religion that was the ancient ancestor to modern Raoism.  That made sense to Kara, who vaguely recalled seeing the mark, or something like it, on a school trip to the ruins of Old Krypton.  However, the hologram was not programmed with any further information, stating only that most of the ancient texts and cultural traditions had been destroyed.

Assuming that the odds where not exactly in favour of the killer being a millenias-old ancient Kryptonian religious zealot, Kara had visited the Fortress of Solitude to see if the holograms of her father or her uncle Jor-El might have more information.  Zor-El’s hologram would state only that it was not programmed with access to information on the sigil.  Kara had argued with the hologram for several minutes, and she was deeply unnerved by the answer it continued to give.  It wasn’t saying that it lacked the information, but rather that it **_couldn’t access_** the information.  Kara didn’t realize that had been possible with these holograms, which were meant to be deep sources of knowledge to be used as tools to aid and to guide Kara and Kal-El. 

Fortunately, Jor-El apparently had no such blocks on his hologram.  She explained what she had learned from him.  “So, the sigil **_did_** originate from ancient Krypton, but it was repurposed in modern Krypton by a dangerous cult of fanatics.  They had somehow procured, or maybe just maintained over the centuries, portions of the old religious texts that predated the Book of Rao.  They believed that the sigil was the mark of a coming dark god.  They called the god Reign.  Reign and a cohort of so-called Worldkillers were supposedly destined to cull weakness and injustice from the universe, starting with Krypton.  Paving the way for an enlightened imperial rule by Kryptonians over the rest of the known universe.” 

Alex and J’onn were justifiably alarmed by this revelation, but Alex was nothing if not a skeptic.  “So, we’ve got a Kryptonian religious nut who somehow survived Krypton.  Big deal.  You beat down Superman, I don’t see how our killer is going to be any trouble when you get ahold of her.”

“Alex, it wasn’t just a religious belief.  This cult was led by scientists.  They were fanatics, yes, but they’re weren’t … they weren’t just sitting around worshiping the embodiment of the sun, okay?  They believed Reign would be a being that resulted as the pinnacle of Kryptonian evolution.  Except that they weren’t going to wait around on evolution.  They took matters into their own hand and began developing biological creatures—weapons—that they called Worldkillers.  In the final days before the destruction of Krypton, the cult’s leaders were captured and were awaiting trial.  I don’t know what happened to them, or whether their experiments were successful.”

The terrifying question in Kara’s mind was whether they were facing a Kryptonian, a member of this cult, or instead had the cult managed to actually create a Worldkiller before Krypton’s destruction?  Clearly J’onn saw the dilemma clearly as well.  “Could that be the reason for the red heat vision?  Could we be dealing with a Kryptonian superweapon rather than just a Kryptonian person?”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.  But I’m also tired of playing hide and seek.  It’s been over a month, and the body count is growing.  The longer we wait, the more people will die.”

“What do you propose?”  J’onn sounded concerned.

“On my way back into town, I burned the House of El sigil onto the roof of the CatCo building.  Now we just have to monitor it and see if she rises to my challenge.”

“Kara!  Are you sure you’re ready for this?  If she is a Worldkiller or whatever, you might be walking into a confrontation you aren’t prepared to face.”  Alex’s body was rigid in fear for Kara’s wellbeing.

“I don’t have a choice.  We’re getting nowhere with the investigation.  Someone has to do something, and I’m the only one who can.  If I feel like I can’t handle it, I’ll run.  We can regroup, and J’onn, Kal, and I can come up with a strategy to fight her together.”  Kara put her hands on Alex’s shoulder.  “But you have to watch over Lena for me.”  Alex’s brow was still furrowed, but she nodded ever so slightly.  “Now, I need to go tell Winn to keep an eye on the roof of CatCo.”

It was just after 9:00 p.m. by this point, and they were all resigned to it being a late night.  A few news organizations with helicopters had picked up coverage of Supergirl’s symbol on top of CatCo, but a couple hours passed before Winn approached her.  “Kara, the Kryptonian responded.  She’s on the roof of CatCo.”

Kara did not respond, walking past Winn and Alex towards the main chamber.  Towards the balcony.  From behind her, Alex’s voice was tight and strained.  “Hey!”

She didn’t look back, responding only, “I have to go.”

But Alex was persistent as always.  “Hey!  Not like this!”  She grabbed onto Kara’s arm, and Kara turned to face her.  Listen to me!”  Alex’s eyes were wide and full of terror.  “With all the love in your life right now, all the people who care about you and your career going so well … I know that you've been embracing your humanity more than ever lately.  And I’m so proud of you, but for right now, forget that.”  Alex’s eyes narrowed slightly, and her voice turned to steel.  “Be cold.  Be Kryptonian.  I don't know why, but this thing **_really_** scares me.”  All the fear and emotion seeped back into her voice.  “So, **_please_** , be alien.  Be Supergirl.”

Kara nodded.  She kissed Alex on the forehead, then centered herself with her breath.  Her entire body tensed as she gave herself fully to her Supergirl persona.  Then she took off for CatCo.  Three helicopters circled the building, shining spotlights onto the roof where the dark figure stood in wait.  Supergirl landed about ten feet in front of her and surveyed her foe.

The Kryptonian killer was slightly taller than Kara and dressed in a full bodysuit.  Without a spotlight shining directly, Supergirl could not make out all the details, but she could tell there were various leather and metallic accent pieces to the suit.  Across her chest was the cult sigil, also in shades of black, and she wore knee-high black leather boots and intimidating metallic black gauntlets.  A matching small black pauldron covered her right shoulder.  Close up, Supergirl could tell that the inside lining of her cape was actually a dark blood red and was also somewhat shorter than Supergirl's own.  And yes, she was wearing a mask.  It was an intricate black mask apparently of the same metallic material as her gauntlets, with various stylized cut outs and subtle horns that formed a sort of crown where the mask ended and her dark hair began.  Her pitch black smokey eye makeup blended the features around her eyes back into the mask, creating an even more haunting effect as the red glow of her irises glinted out from the darkness.  Her lips were also black, and it appeared that the bottom half of her ponytail was pulled tightly into some sort of rough metallic sheath that ended in an ominous point.

Some part of Kara sensed a familiarity coming from the killer, but Supergirl quickly buried that sentiment.  Then she asked coldly, “So what are you supposed to be, the Devil?”

Her foe’s voice was husky, with a metallic edge to it.  “The Devil isn't real.”

“Then who are you?”

Neither of them had moved yet.  “I'm from the time before fathoming.  Born to cleanse the scourge and deliver the awakening.  I am **_Reign_**.”  _Shit.  Definitely a Worldkiller. **The** Worldkiller, apparently._

Supergirl kept any worry out of her voice.  “How did you get here?”

“I survived Krypton's death.  Sent here upon its destruction.”

“If that's true, then where have you been?”

Reign took a step towards Supergirl, explaining simply,  “Dispensing justice.”

“By terrorizing people? Killing people?”  Supergirl could not keep the disgust from her voice, even as she was aware that Reign’s victims were all deserving of **_some_** form of punishment.     

Reign turned to look out over the city, facing away from Supergirl, demonstrating her lack of concern with the potential threat Supergirl posed.  “This world is mired in injustice and violence.  Too many have eluded judgment.  And so few of these **_humans_** are willing to do what is necessary to overthrow the corrupt society you have allowed to fester.”  She recited the word ‘humans’ with such disdain and mockery.

Supergirl put a clear threat into her tone.  “I'm not gonna let you hurt anyone else.  Surrender now before I make you surrender.”

Reign turned back to her, a smirk displayed across those dark lips.  “So **_full_** of hubris.”  She began pacing slowly towards Supergirl as she spoke, stopping with only a couple feet’s distance between them.  “Just like the righteous Kryptonians who feared my makers.  Worshiping false gods as they watched our planet suffocate by shame and burn from memory.  Stand down, or I will make you join them in their purgatory.”  Reign’s voice was even more threatening than Supergirl’s had been, but the hero wasn’t about to back down.

“I'm not going anywhere.”

Reign briefly looked down from Kara, and her tone sounded almost disappointed.  “Then I will dispense my justice on you.”

“Take your best shot.”  As the words left her mouth, Reign was on her in a heartbeat, flying into her at full speed and carrying her off the roof.  Supergirl couldn’t free herself from Reign’s grasp so she settled for pummeling the Worldkiller’s head and upper body with blows.  Seemingly unfazed, Reign continued pushing her with full force until the broke through they walls of a nearby skyscraper.

Fortunately, it was late enough that the floor appeared to be empty, but Supergirl barely had time to scan the room for civilians before Reign’s drove her into the ceiling of the room, crashing her skull painfully through the fluorescent lighting.  As blindingly bright sparks flowed down around them, Reign’s attacks came like lightning all around her.  Punches intermingled with scratches and tears and forceful grabs.  She was so much more vicious than Kal had been when they fought.

They traded blows as they continued floating down the length of the room they had burst into, until Reign threw her to the ground.  Dodging a kick meant for her jaw, Supergirl was up on her feet in an instant, and the fight became more like a ferocious boxing match.  Punches were met with blocks and parries, and Supergirl could focus on nothing more than Reign’s next move.  If a normal person were watching the fight from the side, they would see nothing but a black, red, and blue blur.  Their harsh breathing and grunting pierced the silence of the room.

Supergirl caught Reign under the chin, propelling her back just enough that Kara could raise herself up into the air, intending to drive her fist down across Reign’s face.  However, she was too slow, and Reign sped around the blow.  As Supergirl turned to face her, Reign’s hand came to her throat.  She slammed her forearm down onto Reign’s to break the hold, and then grabbed her forcefully, spinning a couple of times before flinging Reign across the length of the room’s very long conference table.  She leapt to bring another blow down on Reign, but she met her in midair, driving them both straight up and through the roof of the building.

Their fight and momentum carried them out, across the bay.  The crashed onto the hull of a large cargo ship, in the midst of several massive shipping containers.  Before she could get her bearings, Reign was gone.  Looking around wildly for the anticipated sneak attack, Supergirl was caught off guard as the front of the ship began to raise out of the water, sending the shipping containers flying back towards her.  The sheer weight of them momentarily stunned her, but she caught her breath, shoved them roughly out of her way, and took off towards the front of the boat.

She collided with Reign at top speed, driving them back towards the city.  _Shit._ Supergirl had hoped to stay out of the city, but she had lost her bearings on the cargo ship.  That momentary concern about the wellbeing of the citizens of National City was a distraction that cost her.  Reign regained control of their scrum and drove Kara down, slamming her thunderously through the concrete of a street below.  The force of the collision created a crater and sent several nearby vehicles flying. 

As she pulled herself up, Supergirl could hear the screams all around her.  She and Reign continued beating each other senseless amid the rubble, and it was getting harder and harder for Supergirl to block and parry the Worldkiller’s strikes.   She could feel water falling on them, but she didn’t have time to worry about a busted main.  Reign continued pummeling her and driving her back until she was down on one need, completely winded.  Strangely, Reign walked away from her, casually, as if she was barely affected by the many blows Supergirl had landed.

It was only then that Supergirl noticed the crowd surrounding them, and in particular, a young girl hiding behind and overturned car, looking as if she might try to run to Supergirl.  “NO!” she shouted with all her might.  “Get back! Back, stay back!”  She was back on her feet, and while she could sense Reign coming back behind her, she continued focusing her attention on the people. “Please! You have to run!”

Supergirl barely registered the swooshing sound from behind her when her head exploded into a bright white light of agony.  She collapsed to the ground, completely disoriented.  As she pushed herself up onto her hands, she could feel something wet on her forehead and in her hair.  She touched her hand to the substance and nearly collapsed again as another bright shock of pain flashed through her skull.  Her hand was covered in something red and thick and sticky.  _Blood.  How?_

She heard Reign toss whatever heavy object she had crashed into the back of Supergirl’s head.  _I have to get out of here.  Have to run.  Promised…_   She pushed herself up and off the ground as quickly as she could muster at this point, but Reign caught her by the cape and slammed her back down.  Reign allowed her the time to get back to her feet and then came at her with a surprisingly slow punch.  Supergirl blocked it, but Reign immediately struck her across the face with her left arm.  Off guard, Supergirl couldn’t stop Reign from grabbing her and delivering a knee to her gut that doubled her over in a shocking amount of pain.  Just as she was pulling herself back into a standing position, Reign grabbed her again, grinned ruthlessly, and headbutted her.  Everything went hazy as Supergirl collapsed to the ground again. 

She could still hear the myriad noises of the chaos around her, and she certainly felt the force of Reign’s kick, straight down onto her torso.  Supergirl was fairly sure that several of her ribs were broken, or as sure as she could be for someone who had never suffered a broken rib before.  Still, she had enough energy to pull herself back up to her knees and shake the cobwebs from her head.  She sensed Reign’s makeshift weapon coming at her head again, but was able to block it this time.

Turns out it was several pieces of rebar still connected to a large slab of concrete, forming a large, incredibly heavy club.  Supergirl acted immediately, pushing all of her remaining strength into wresting the club from Reign’s grasp and using the upward moment of her standing motion to spin the club around and bring it back under Reign’s chin, sending her flying away.

As she climbed over the pile of rubble caused by their collision into the street from above, Supergirl could barely make her way up and could barely stand at the top of the pile.  Some part of her deep subconscious still sensed that she needed to escape, but she was utterly incapable of coherent thought at this point.  Her brain barely registered it as Reign approached her again, this time dragging a flaming car door beside her. 

Reign threw the door at her like some sort of bizarre flaming frisbee, and Supergirl moved to jump over it.  But her legs wouldn’t respond, and the door cut them out from under her, sending her spinning up into the air.  Expecting to feel the cold hard concrete welcome her to unconsciousness, Supergirl was stunned by the hot force that collided with her chest and sent her flying up in the air and away from the fight.  Reign’s heat vision drove her back and onto the roof of a building.

Supergirl couldn’t move.  She couldn’t feel her legs and felt nothing but pain from her abdomen up to her head.  She could hardly even breathe.  She heard a thud nearby, followed by the words, “I'm going to kill you.”  It was a statement, not a threat.

Supergirl did what she could to push herself back onto her arms and look up at Reign.  She knew her body was about to give out on her, but she would not give up.  “You don't … You don't scare me.”  Her voice betrayed the extent of her injuries.

Reign stood confidently over her, fixing her with a look of pity.  Again, something deep down inside of Kara felt the oddest sense of familiarity.  Before she could dwell on it, Reign whispered down to her, “You're no god, just as I'm no devil.  All I am is truth.”  She wrapped a hand around Supergirl’s throat, pulling her up and forcing a sharp groan as further agony washed over Supergirl’s body.  “And judgment.”  Reign walked her over to the edge of the roof, carrying her easily with one hand.  “And death.  And I will reign.”  As Kara dropped into the air, plummeting down towards the pavement below, the darkness took her.


	20. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara is comatose, and Lena, Sam, and Alex deal with the emotional fallout.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be using a few plot points from canon in the next few chapters, but it'll still be pretty canon divergent.

** Chapter 20 **

Sam jolted awake out of yet another nightmare, hyperventilating as her heart raced.  Sunlight, dimmed only slightly by the curtains over her windows, flooded the room with a soft yellow light.  Immediately, Sam’s thoughts went to Lena.  She couldn’t remember anything that happened after Kara flew away with Lena.  She immediately looked around for her phone.  The first thing she noticed was Kara’s text.  _Okay, so Lena is okay._ Sam breathed a heavy sigh of relief.  _But why did I black out?_

Ruby burst into Sam’s bedroom, face full of concern.  She jumped onto Sam’s bed and hugged her tightly.  That was when Sam realized how sore she felt.  _What did I do while I was blacked out?_   “I heard you scream.  After last night …  Mom, what’s going on?”

 _Wait, what about last night?_ Instantly, her chest tightened as she worried about all the terrible things she might have done without realizing it.  But she knew she had to put on a brave face for Ruby, had to try to figure out what was going on.  “I’m sorry,” she whispered, still catching her breath.  “I … I just had another nightmare.”

Ruby pulled away a little, kneeling on the edge of Sam’s bed.  “Why didn’t you tell me you were going to work late yesterday?  Usually, you call Ms. Queller.”  Reading the confused look on her face, Ruby quickly course-corrected.  “Not that I need her any time I’m home alone!  As I’ve been telling you constantly. …  I just, with everything that happened with Supergirl, I couldn’t sleep, and then you got home so late, and you were so dazed.”

Without thinking, Sam immediately asked, “What happened to Supergirl?!”  Her chest was tighter than ever, and her heart began to race again.  _Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay._ Ruby’s brow furrowed in confusion, and she bounced over to where the remote was perched on the other nightstand.  The TV lit up, and Ruby switched to local news.  The anchor’s voice spilled into the room.

“… stunned by the terrifying and brutal defeat suffered by Supergirl at the hands of this mysterious woman in black, just hours after the unidentified woman murdered Morgan Edge. …”  Sam stopped listening, taking in the visuals.  Supergirl squaring off with a woman in all black, the violence starting on the roof of CatCo and eventually coming to a halt in the middle of a street a few blocks over.  An image passed over the screen, and Sam immediately shut the TV off, feeling as though someone had driven a white hot blade through her heart.  Supergirl— ** _Kara_** —lying unconscious in a crater of rubble, broken and bleeding.  She looked dead.  Tears filled Sam’s eyes, and she immediately did everything she could to hold them back.

 _Ruby can’t know.  Stay strong for her, Sam.  Get your shit together._   Ruby asked, “How did you miss this last night?”

“Ruby, sweetie, I’ve gotta tell you something that’s really difficult to hear.”  Ruby’s eyes widened.  “Last night … Lena was poisoned.  I wasn’t working late, it’s just that Kara and I had to get her to the hospital.  She’s okay, now, I promise!  But … we were both so freaked out, I accidentally left my phone at work, and then I was so focused on Lena that I didn’t really think about anything else until it was late, and we knew she was okay.  I am **_so_** sorry if I scared you last night, or if I made you feel bad when I got home.  After dropping back by the office to get my phone, I was exhausted and came straight home.  I barely even remember getting home, sweetie.”

Sam could tell from her body language that Ruby believed her fully.  “But Lena’s okay?”

“Yes, she’s okay.  I’m going to go visit her right after I drop you off for school.  Speaking of which, you need to go get ready.”  Ruby nodded softly, then jumped off the bed and left the room.  Sam’s phone was immediately in her hands, calling Kara.  _Come on, come on.  Pick up, Kara.  Be okay._   No answer.  She hung up and tried Lena.  This time, there was an answer.

“Sam, where are you?”

Sam sighed in relief.  “Lena, you’re okay.  Thank god.  Please tell me Kara is okay, I’m just seeing the news about last night.”

There was a heavy pause on the other side of the line.  “Sam …  It’s not good.”  Lena’s voice was raw and cracked—she had been crying a lot.  Sam’s tears were back, and this time she couldn’t keep them off her cheeks.  “She’s in critical condition.  That monster beat her within an inch of her life.  I woke up maybe an hour after they brought her back to the DEO.  She had three broken ribs, a skull fracture, and massive internal bleeding.  Their best surgeon operated on her, and she’s been under the yellow sun lamps ever since.  Her body is healing, but far too slowly.”  Lena released a pained breath.  “She’s in a coma, Sam.  Alex says they’re not sure whether she’ll come out of it.  You need to get to the DEO immediately.”

“I … fuck, Lee, I can’t remember anything from last night.  How could I have missed this?  She has to be okay.  She **_has_** to.”  A thought occurred to her.  It was a long shot, but Sam would do anything.  ”Lena!  I think I might know someone who can help her.  But I’ll have to explain how I know Supergirl.”

“Sam, I trust you.  Kara trusts you.  If there’s a tiny chance this person can save our girl, do whatever the fuck you have to.  Get on it, I’ll text you the address for the DEO and let them know to let you in.” 

“Okay.  I’ll be there soon, Lee.  I love you.”  Lena hung up without a further word, and within a minute, Sam got the text with the address.  She dialed another contact in her phone.

Yes, hello Samantha.”

“Thank god you answered, Kaziah.  Something terrible has happened, and I need a huge, huge favour from you.  Hell, I don’t even know if it’s something you’re capable of, but I have to ask.”  Sam was trying not to sound frantic but knew she was failing. 

“Samantha, you have but to ask.  You are one of my dearest friends, and I will do whatever I can to help you.  What is the matter?”

“I … I’ll explain that in a minute.  Hey so, you’re like kinda sorta part computer, right?”  Sam really hoped the question wasn’t rude.

“That is an oversimplification but not terribly inaccurate in the larger scheme of things.  Why do you ask?”  Ziah’s voice was always so flat—Sam couldn’t tell over the phone whether she was offended or even annoyed by the question.  Bu Sam trusted Ziah to call her out on any sort of misunderstanding or unintentionally shitty statement.

“Would it be possible for you to interface directly with a person’s brain to check on the neurological functioning?”  Sam crossed her fingers.

“Yes, it is.  I have a Coluan device that would allow me to interface directly with a person’s mind through the synthetic portions of my own brain.  What purpose would such an endeavor serve?  Who are you looking to help, and from what fate?”

“It’s Supergirl.  I’m … I’m kind of dating Supergirl.” 

“Samantha, I am so sorry.  I saw the news, but I had no idea that you and Ms. Danvers had become involved.”  _Because of course it took one meeting for Kaziah to figure out Supergirl’s identity._  

“She’s in bad shape, Ziah.  Lena and I are barely holding it together.  They’re doing what they can to heal her body, but it’s her mind I’m worried about.  She’s in a coma, and they aren’t sure if she’ll come out of it. By interfacing with her mind, do you think you can help her find her way home, so to speak?” 

“I cannot say for certain, but I am willing to try.  The brain is a tricky thing, Samantha, and I’ve never actually explored the mind of a Kryptonian before.  But I will do everything I can for her.  You have my word.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you.”  Sam held on tight to the glimmer of hope Kaziah was giving her.  “You and I are taking the day off, boss’s orders.  I’m about to drop Ruby off at school, and then I’ll come get you and bring you to Supergirl, okay?”

“I am at your service.  I will be ready.”

~~~~

After hanging up with Sam, Lena turned her attention back to Kara.  She looked so fragile in her hospital gown, face still bruised from the fight.  She was not covered by any sheet or blanket, so that as much skin as possible was exposed to the solar radiation that was fueling her healing.  Lena stroked Kara’s hair slowly, not caring about the uncomfortable heat of the lamps on her arm and hand.

She started when she felt a hand on her shoulder.  Lena hadn’t noticed Alex slip into the room.  She brought breakfast.  “You’ve got to eat, Lena.  I know you’re worried about Kara, but you’re still a patient here, too.  Your body is still recovering from the poison—you have to eat.”  While Lena wanted to argue, she knew that Alex was right, so she accepted the paper bag of … breakfast tacos? … with a thankful look at Alex.  “Sorry, I sent Winn for breakfast and didn’t think to make a specific request.”

“Alex, it’s fine.  Come sit with me, please?” Alex checked Kara’s vitals, then sat.  Between bites, Lena whispered, “Thank you.  For saving my life.”

“It was Kara as much as me.  She got you here within minutes.  But you know I can’t let you die, Luthor.  She loves you too much.”  Lena knew Alex well enough by now to know when she was holding back her emotions.  She put a hand on Alex’s, and Alex squeezed hers in return.  They both turned back to Kara.

“I just talked to Sam.  She might know someone who can help Kara.”  She took another bite.  “Her name is Kaziah Dox.”

“Why does that name sound familiar?”

“She was one of the sources for Kara’s first article about Edge’s anti-alien discrimination.  She works with Sam at L-Corp.  She’s Coluan, and I’m guessing she might have some fancy tech that will help her go into Kara’s mind and bring her back to consciousness.”

“Oh fuck no.”  Alex stood, angry.  “I’m not letting one of those Brainiac things go anywhere near Kara in this state.”  _Shit._   Lena had forgotten that Alex had prior experiences with a Coluan that were less than pleasant.

“Alex, Kaziah is a good person.  I’m aware that—Indigo, was it?—was as horrible as Kara made her sound when she told me about her, but surely you’re not going to paint an entire people in a certain light because of one bad apple?”  Alex leaned back against the wall and crossed her arms but didn’t say anything.  “Kaziah is one of Sam’s best friends, and she’s been an exemplary employee at L-Corp for years.  Kara liked her quite a lot.”  Lena sighed.  “Besides which, you’ve already told me that the DEO has nothing else that can help Kara, and I’m not about to turn away help that could possibly save her.”

Lena and Alex stared at each other, waiting to see who would break first.  Finally, Alex rolled her eyes and shrugged as she pushed off from the wall.  “Fine, but if she tries to hurt Kara further, I **_will_** kill her.”  Lena knew it was no idle threat, but if **_anyone_** tried to hurt Kara further, Alex would be hard pressed to beat Lena to the murder scene.  Fortunately, Lena knew they had nothing to worry about with Kaziah.

“That won’t happen.”

Alex seemed like she was headed out of the room, but then she paused.  “Why didn’t we hear from Sam until this morning?  Everything was broadcast live last night; how could she have taken so long to learn that Kara was in danger?”

Lena wasn’t about to share her darkest suspicions, not until she was sure.  She couldn’t do that to Sam.  And she could hardly even admit it to herself.  _What if Sam is Reign?_   Lena covered for her.  “She was with Ruby all night.  After I was poisoned, she just wanted to unplug and get away from the world and be with her daughter.  She didn’t see the news until this morning.”

Alex still seemed suspicious, but it was a believable cover story.  She didn’t press further.  “Just let me know the second they get here.”

~~~~

“I will use nanites to form a connection with Ms. Danvers’ neural pathways.  I can interface directly with the agents to form a connection with her mind.  The problem is that her skin is invulnerable—”

“It’s actually not right now.  Not yet.”  Lena’s voice was sorrowful and worried as she interrupted Kaziah.  Sam put a hand on her friend’s back.  Lena stiffened, causing Sam to look down in concern.  Lena did not return her gaze, but she did relax into Sam’s hand.

Kaziah turned to Alex.  “I leave it to your expertise Agent Danvers.  I have nodules that are normally strategically placed just above the temples and in the center of the forehead—they inject the nanites through the skin and bone.  If there is some concern that Kara’s invulnerability may return before we are finished, it may be better to introduce the agents through her ears, but it will take longer for the nanites to reach the correct parts of her brain.  They will also be more difficult to withdraw.”

Alex considered.  “Go ahead with the nodules.  If her invulnerability comes back enough to push them out of her head, we’ll just have to remove the nanites through her ears.  But if there’s a chance we don’t have to do that, let’s go for it.”

“I cannot promise this will be painless, but the worst part is the insertion, which she will obviously be unconscious for.  As I explained to Samantha, I cannot promise that I will be able to bring her back to consciousness, but I can monitor her neural health and attempt to interact with her subconscious in order to restore her.  Furthermore, I can give you a live analysis of my interactions with Ms. Danvers’ mind as I interface.”  Kaziah fixed the three women with a confident, reassuring gaze.

Alex glanced as Lena, then at Sam, seeking agreement.  Then she sighed heavily and commanded, “Let’s do it.”  Kaziah pulled her equipment from her bag and began to gently but firm place the nodules on Kara’s head.  Once they were in place, she stood stiffly to the left of Kara’s bed and closed her eyes.  A small blue light flickered into life on each of the nodules, and the three orbs on Kaziah’s head lit in a corresponding, but much softer and hazier, white glow. 

Several minutes passed while they waited on pins and needles.  Sam kept catching strange looks from Alex, who had been acting really weird towards her ever since she arrived at the DEO.  Lena was also more withdrawn than usual, but Sam didn’t think much of it.  Lena often became colder and more reserved when faced with overwhelming emotions.  Alex though—Alex worried her.

All morning, Sam had been trying to avoid the thought that threatened to consume her and drive her down into a dark place from which she feared she would not escape.  There were many high-resolution images from the fight, and even with the dark mask and eye makeup, it was hard for Sam not to see the resemblance.  To let her mind drift to the timing of her blackout last night and the soreness she had woken up to.  Maybe Alex saw it, too.

Fortunately, Kaziah broke the tension.  “The good news is that her mind is active and alert.  The bad news is that she feels trapped and is very angry about it.”

“She wants to wake up, but doesn’t know how?”  Lena’s voice had the slightest tinge of hope in it now.

“That is more or less correct, yes.  I will continue to interface with her and try to unlock whatever is trapping her in her own subconscious.  I will also look for any signs of brain damage or other neurological issues.  I cannot say how long this will take.  I will alert you if and when her awakening is imminent—you will need to be prepared if she goes into shock as she comes out of the coma.”

Accepting that it could be a long time before Kara woke up—and refusing to consider any other possibility—Sam resolved herself to know, one way or the other, whether her fears were true.  It terrified her to think about what she, or at least her body, might have done, but if her suspicious were correct, she needed to know, and they needed to prevent her from hurting anyone else.  She turned to Alex.

“Alex, we’re not doing Kara any good standing around in her room.  Can you run those tests on me now?”  There was a silent agreement between the two, and Sam could see it in her eyes that Alex shared her concerns.  Alex nodded her head towards the door, and Lena stood to follow them.  “No, Lena.  Stay with Kara.  Just in case she wakes up sooner than expected.”  Sam was terrified of being alone with Alex, of discovering this potentially awful truth about herself without the support of her best friend or her girlfr—Kara.  But Kara needed Lena, and Lena needed Kara.

Once out of the room, Alex said only, “My lab is two floors down.”  They walked in cold, uncomfortable silence until they were in the elevator, then Alex whispered, “Did you do this?”  She wouldn’t look at Sam, and her voice was rife with tension.

Guilt flooded Sam’s body, and she struggled to keep her legs from shaking.  “I don’t know…  I … that’s what I’m afraid of.  That’s why we have to do this now.  It’s why you can’t let me leave this building until we’re sure.”  Alex nodded curtly.  They walked out into her lab as the elevator doors opened.

Alex handed her a hospital gown and gestured towards a privacy curtain nearby.  As she changed, Sam felt the sudden urge to try to break the tension.  “So, you were a doctor before you joined the DEO?”

Alex didn’t bother to look at her, but mercifully answered the question.  “Yeah.  I was gonna be a researcher, so I had a job in Seattle for a while.  And then, as it turns out, I needed a little more action than just a microscope and an Excel spreadsheet.”

Sam walked out towards Alex, who was standing beside a large machine.  “Sorry if I don’t take any of this well.  In addition to being scared out of my mind about what we’re about to learn, I really hate hospitals, being sick, **_needles_**.  **_Hate_** tests.”

From the look of surprise on her face, Sam got the sense that Alex had at first assumed that Sam was always Reign and had been manipulating them for some nefarious purpose.  Being vulnerable about her fears had apparently— _hopefully_ —dispelled any such thoughts from Alex’s mind. For the first time, Alex gave her a slight smile.  “Well, MRI's don't hurt.”  She gestured for Sam to lay down on the small bedlike cushion stretching out from the mouth of the MRI machine.  “First things first, you’ve been having blackouts and missed time.  I want to confirm that there’s not some more … _ordinary_ … explanation.”

“Okay.”  Sam was even more nervous now.  She hadn’t considered that it could be something non-alien-related.  As her heart rate spiked, she nervously blurted out her thoughts in a stream of consciousness.  “My symptoms.  Memory loss, headaches … this could be really bad.”  She took a deep breath.  “Like, brain tumor bad.”

Alex looked down on her, eyes softer than they had previously been.  “You know what else causes memory loss?  Caffeine withdrawal.  Yikes.”  Sam rolled her eyes, but the joke helped.  “Sam, we're gonna find out what's going on, and when we do, we're gonna deal with it.  **_Whatever_** it is.”  Sam tried not to think about the implications—imprisonment at the DEO, having to face a loved one she tried to kill, maybe being put down if necessary—of that ‘whatever.’

She heard Alex’s steps walk away from her, and shortly thereafter, she felt herself being pulled back into the machine.  The MRI was almost painfully loud, and Sam felt as though she was in there for hours.  Then suddenly she was back out into the bright fluorescent light of the lab.  She looked over and saw Alex behind a wall with a glass window.  She held up her index finger, asking Sam to give her a minute.

Eventually, Alex walked back over to her as an image of Sam’s brain popped up onto a nearby screen.  “So, what do you see?”

Alex’s eyes were firmly on the screen.  “Nothing.”

“Is that a … good thing?”   _Of course it isn’t, idiot.  It means the only other explanation is that you’re a murdery alien who tried to kill the woman you love._

“It just means that whatever's causing the blackouts isn't showing up on the images.”  Alex’s face was tighter than before, but there was still a glint of compassion in her eyes.  “But that doesn’t prove anything conclusively, okay?  Let me take some blood.”

Sam whispered, “I'm afraid of needles.”

“It's really not that bad.  I'm gonna make it painless.”

“Can you go quick?”  She looked away.  _Some all-powerful evil alien I am._

“Okay.”  Alex made quick work of drawing Sam’s blood.  “See?  Painless.”  She walked away to go run the bloodwork.  Sam followed her, and Alex began asking additional questions.  “So, you came to Earth in a Kryptonian pod?”

“I think so?  Based on how I described it, Kara was pretty sure.  It had Kryptonese writing behind the cockpit that lit up when I touched the hull, and it produced a long crystal that Kara insisted was a piece of Kryptonian tech.”  Sam shivered.  “Can I put my clothes back on?”

“Yeah sure.  We’ll probably try to run some field tests next to see if we can activate any sort of powers.  You’re welcome to do that in a gown if you really want to, but clothes would probably be more comfortable.”  Sam didn’t bother making a face because Alex’s attention was firmly on her equipment.  As she began to put her clothes back on, Alex continued questioning her.

“But you’ve never had any of the typical powers we associate with Kryptonians?  You can’t fly?”

“Nope.”

“Super strength?”

“None.”

“Invulnerability?”

“Just that one time.”

“Okay, tell me about that.” 

Sam frowned.  _Didn’t Kara already tell her?_   “I was standing near Lena at her press conference, after Morgan Edge accused her of poisoning children.  When the shooter opened fire, Kara saved Lena, but I was apparently hit by a bullet.  I didn’t realize that at the time.  I dropped to the ground the minute shots rang out, trying to avoid getting shot.  I checked myself for any pain or blood, and there was nothing.  I didn’t think anything of it.  But then, when I went to bed that night, a crumpled bullet fell out as I untucked my shirt.  I found a bullet hole in my blazer and shirt.”  She shrugged.  “The bullet would’ve hit me about right here—” she pointed to the right side of her lower abdomen, “—if my skin hadn’t magically stopped it.  But that’s the only time it’s ever happened, as far as I know.”

Alex looked up from her computer, her face tight with thought.  “How can you be sure?  Have you tried to—”

“Yes,” Sam snapped.  “I mean, not with a gun, but I’ve cut myself many times, under many different circumstances.  During the day.  At night.  While watching a really scary movie—I wondered if fear might trigger it.  It didn’t.  One time I was really pissed off because of an argument at work, and I tried then too.  Every time, the only result is that my thigh got another painful cut.”  She paused, a memory suddenly leaping to mind.  "Wait!  Actually there was one other time.  It was a day or two after I was shot.  I was pretty freaked, and on a whim, I stuck my hand in a boiling pot of water.  It felt pleasantly warm.  No pesky third degree burns or anything."

“Okay … I’ll probably want to test that myself.”  Alex’s tone was apologetic.  “What about heat vision?”

“Nope.  No super speed either, if that was your next question.”  The questions were getting old now, and Sam just wanted answers.

“Okay.  Sorry.  And you had no idea you were alien until your mom showed you the pod?”

“None.  She would never tell me where I came from.  I just assumed my parents were murderers or something.”  _Maybe they were.  Maybe it runs in the family._

“Can you remember what nights you’re missing time from?”

“Not specifically.  Other than last night, obviously.”  Her heart sank again as she thought about last night. 

“That’s unfortunate.  I wish you had kept track—I could have checked to see if your blackouts lined up with the murders we’ve been investigating.  That we now know were almost certainly Reign.”  It was the first time either of them had said the name. 

“But it looks like that might be unnecessary.”  Alex’s voice was cut through with shock.  “Come here.”  Sam’s heart leapt to her throat.  _Wait what?_ She walked over to Alex, standing behind her to gaze at the dual monitors of her computer.  “I pulled your DNA from the white blood cells in one of your samples.  Your DNA is double helix, meaning you definitely aren’t Kryptonian.  They have triple helix DNA.  Whatever you are, you’re much closer to human than Kryptonian.”

“Okay, but what about the blackouts?  My pod?  Alex … when I woke up this morning, I was **_sore_**.”  Sam knew it.  Knew she **_had_** to be Reign.  Nothing else made sense.

“Sam!”  Alex turned to her, gripped her shoulders firmly, and looked her right in the eyes.  “I’m telling you, you’re not Reign.  You can’t be.  Your body isn’t physically capable of the sort of powers she has.  Besides, you said yourself you don’t have powers.  Except that one time.” Alex sighed.  “I’m really sorry that I don’t have any actual answers for you.  I can’t explain the bullet or the blackouts or the pod.”

Sam felt like she had been hit by a freight train.  Her mind didn’t want to accept it.  She had found an answer, and however horrific that answer was, it was almost preferable to the unexplainable unknown.  And now Alex was telling her that her answer was impossible.  She was back at square one.

 _But it wasn’t me that hurt Kara. **It wasn’t me.**_ Tears began streaming down her face.  She slumped, and Alex caught her in a warm embrace.  Her compassion only made Sam fall apart more.  She sobbed, “I thought it was me.  I thought I killed her.  I thought I was the cause of her pain.  I thought …”  She shook her head, but the sobs wouldn’t stop.  “Alex.  I thought I had somehow beaten the woman I love into a coma.”  She couldn’t form any more words.  Alex continued to hold her, and several minutes passed until Sam calmed enough to step back from the warm arms holding her steady.

“It wasn’t you.”  Alex smiled at her genuinely.  “It **_wasn’t_** you.”  Sam nodded.  “I’ve got some more tests I want to run on your blood, and you should come in again in the future so we can try to figure out what’s going on with you.  But you’re not Reign.”


	21. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaziah and Kara converse in Kara's subconscious and deal with her issues. When she wakes, Kara has important conversations with Sam, then Lena.

** Chapter 21 **

Kara hadn’t been expecting anyone, so it was quite the surprise when she opened the door of the loft to see who had knocked.  “Kaziah?  Hi!  What are you doing here?”  Kara hadn’t seen the Coluan since their interview, but she was every bit as strikingly gorgeous as Kara remembered.

Kaziah’s musical yet uninflected voice still caught her off guard, though.  “I am here to help you, Kara Danvers.  May I come in?”

“Of course!  Come in!”  As she closed the door behind Kaziah, she added, “And remember, it’s just Kara.”  Kaziah nodded curtly.  “So … what is it exactly that you think I need help with?”

Kaziah began inspecting the loft, analyzing vases of flowers, throw pillows, the walls themselves.  “I am here to check the health of your neural pathways and hopefully, to help you escape this coma.”

“I’m sorry, coma?  I’m at home.”

“This is not your home, Kara.  This is the physical manifestation of the place in which your consciousness feels most comfortable.”  Kaziah glanced to her right, into the bedroom space.  “It is apparently also a manifestation of the central conflict in your mind that prevents you from waking up.”

Kara followed her gaze but saw nothing out of the ordinary.  “If I’m in a coma, how are you here?” 

“Coluan technology.  I am interfacing directly with your mind.  Samantha brought me here once the DEO determined that they could not pull you out of the coma.  You suffered extensive injuries from your battle with Reign.” 

Kara looked at her curiously.  She was sure that Sam hadn’t revealed her secret identity.  However, Sam had warned her that Kaziah was brilliant far beyond even the most outstanding human minds, so it wasn’t a huge surprise that she had figured out Kara’s identity.  Heck, it’s possible she had even sensed Kara’s Kryptonian physiology in some way.  Either way, she didn’t press it further. 

Then she thought further about what Kaziah said, and images of the battle flashed through her mind.  She could briefly feel the pain of her injuries all over again.  The fracturing of her mind as she finally passed out.  “No.  No no no.  This can’t be happening.  She’s still out there.  People are dying.  I **_have_** to wake up.”

Kara rushed to the door—though not at super speed, oddly enough—and tried to open the door.  It would not yield to her.  She pulled at it with all her strength, and nothing happened.  “What is going on?!”

“You must remain calm.  You cannot escape so simply.  First, we must find a way to work through your mental crisis.”  At this point, Kaziah’s stillness was really rubbing against Kara’s nerves, as everything inside of her screamed to do something.  She stalked over to the windows that opened to her balcony and tried those.  Still nothing.  She tried to punch through the glass, and it repelled her as if it was the strongest glass of all time.  _What the hell?_ Kara growled in frustration. 

She felt a hand on her shoulder and tensed, her frustration flowing through her.  “As I said, Kara Danvers, this is not the way you will escape.”

Kara blew out a loud breath, releasing some of her frustration with it.  “If you know that I’m Kryptonian, you may as well call me Kara Zor-El, at least in private.  Or, you know, just Kara.”  She turned, and Kaziah’s eyes were full of understanding and compassion.  For the first time, Kara noticed that the orbs on her forehead were glowing with a faint shimmer.  It only added to her beauty.

“Why am I stuck here?”

“Your body is no longer in critical condition, but it is healing very slowly.  I have also ruled out any neurological problems.  As far as I can tell, the only thing keeping you here is you.”

“But I’m the one who is trying to get out of here!  This doesn’t make any sense.”  Her frustration continued to build.

“I am concerned that your battle with Reign has left you with a crisis of identity.  Correct me if I am wrong, but you have never been defeated like this, have you?”

“No.”

“Is there something in particular about Reign that caused you to question yourself, your core identity?  Anything that resonated in you?”

 _Yes.  But … I can’t explain it.  It doesn’t make any sense._   “I don’t know.  She’s Kryptonian, but not.  At times, it felt like I was fighting a dark mirror image, but …  she felt familiar.  Not to Supergirl, but to Kara.  I can’t explain it.  I did my best to ignore it during the battle, to stay firmly in Supergirl mode.  But she beat me anyway.”  Kara felt lost.  Maybe that was what kept her here.

“Do you often compartmentalize yourself into these separate personas—Kara Danvers vs. Supergirl?” 

“Yes.  But I have to.  It’s important.  My secret identity is important.  Wearing glasses and putting my hair up is a crap disguise, as most of my friends have pointed out.  So, I have to maintain separate mannerisms, habits, and … just … yeah, personalities, I guess.  Completely different mindsets.  That way it never occurs to anyone that Kara Danvers looks a lot like Supergirl.  They appear as completely separate people.”  Kara thought about it more.  “But I have to do that so much less these days.  Everyone I spend my free time with knows.  To them, I’m just Kara Zor-El.”

“Has the compartmentalization ever bothered you?”

“Umm … yeah, I mean of course it has.  Usually only when I’m in a really dark mood, but sometimes it just—pretending to be two different people, each with aspects of myself but nothing fully like the real me, can be exhausting.  But I handle it.  Because I have to.”

“Do you?  Have you ever really questioned that?”

“Never.  I can’t … I have to.  To keep my loved ones safe.  To live the life I want to be able to live, outside of Supergirl.”

“I would suggest that maybe you should consider it further.  You are likely right about the danger to your loved ones, but that is likely a problem for which you could find a solution.  And I am not so sure you are correct in your assumption that the knowledge you are Supergirl would prevent you from living your life.  But that is for you to decide—I do not believe it is fully relevant to your current predicament.”

Kaziah stood and again looked to the bedroom space.  “Your subconscious created this space.  It is trying to open your eyes to the nature of your conflict.  Tell me, do you really not see anything out of the ordinary in this loft?”  Kara’s brow furrowed.  She really didn’t.  Still, she decided to look around.

Everything was perfectly in place, tranquil in the soft white-blue glow emanating in through the windows.  She walked around, touching surfaces.  Nothing seemed strange to her.  The cabinets were glowing with the warm yellowy light that made up the entire wall behind them.  An old Audrey Hepburn movie played silently on her TV.  _I must have been watching it before Kaziah arrived._ Kara looked down, and she was wearing perfectly normal clothes.  A soft loose-fitting, lavender t-shirt under a warm oversized cardigan, with brown tights and house shoes.  Normal.

She pushed her glasses up her nose and continued her search in the bedroom space.  Here too, nothing struck her as unusual.  The warm red glow filtered through the window, creating a sense of coziness in the geometric shapes along the rounded wall behind her bed and the faux rock façade along the far wall.  The white ridged materials of her bedsheets were perfectly made.  The wide, circular, panoramic windows gave her a beautiful view of Argo City.  Again, she gazed down at her outfit, and again, found it perfectly usual.  Her Supergirl uniform was pristine, all the damage caused by Reign gone.  She smiled brightly at the raised House of El displayed prominently on her chest.

Looking back at Kaziah, she emphasized, “I don’t know what my subconscious could be trying to tell me.  Everything is normal.”

“The sharp contrast between the two halves of this loft does not strike you as odd?”

Kara looked back and forth.  Yes, the shift between the lighting and décor on either side was stark, a sharp contrast.  But it had always been that …  _Wait._   “Krypton is dead.  My bedroom is gone.  It shouldn’t be here.”

“Precisely.  Whatever happened in your battle with Reign, it has fragmented your mind between the two personalities you’ve cultivated so painstakingly.  This is purely speculation, but I believe you have to find a balance, a wholeness of self, if you are to wake up.”

Kara stepped forward, considering Kaziah’s words.  Only now that it was pointed out did she see the absurdity of her mind’s creation.  She was wearing her human attire but could still feel the weight of her cape behind her.  Kara took another step forward, feeling self-conscious, like the pretty girl in her apartment would think she looked ridiculous.  “How do I even do that?”

“Well, if it is motivation you seek—” Kaziah stood and stepped closer to Kara, softly placing a hand on her cheek, “—I am waiting outside, just next to your bed.  I would very much like to see you open your eyes and smile again.”

Kara giggled bashfully as her face heated up.  Even in her mind, overt flirting flustered her.  She walked away, so that she could collect herself.  “As nice as that sounds, I don’t think it’s a motivation issue.  I don’t understand what I’m supposed to do.  **_How_** to do it.”

She turned to face Kaziah again, only to find her eyes closed.  Then the popped open and she said, “Ms. Luthor would like me to give you a message.”

Kara’s heart leapt.  “She’s here?  You can talk to her while you talk to me?”

“Correct.  She wanted me to say that she loves you, Kara Zor-El.  You are her favourite person.  She wants you to come home to her.”  Kara’s mind shifted to the first time Lena had said those words, just before Supergirl went to fight Rhea.  Before the lead dispersal device sent the Daxamites away.  They had been through so much together since then.  Kara looked around.  _This isn’t home.  Neither of these places are.  Not anymore._

_Lena is home._

Suddenly, she and Kaziah were standing in the penthouse, decorated still in the festive holiday décor.  Kara no longer felt lost.  Kaziah smiled at her and said, “I should have guessed that Ms. Luthor would be the key.  I hope to be better friends with you both after this.  Your love is a powerful and beautiful thing.  Now, I will leave you, but you must prepare yourself for reality reentry.  There will be an object left by your mind to help you get through the door—probably a house key or something similar.  Find it and use it.” 

She again stepped into Kara’s personal space, this time placing a hand on each of Kara’s elbows.  “This symbolic gesture represents your mind preparing itself.  I believe the door should open regardless, but if you are not properly prepared, you could go into shock.  Some people die immediately.”  Kaziah kissed her on the forehead.  “I shall see you soon, Kara Zor-El.”

Then she was gone.  Kara smiled softly, then began searching the apartment.  She found the key waiting for her on her nightstand.  Key in hand, she walked out and around into the entryway.  A bright white line shown through the seams between the door and its frame.  Kara stopped in front of the door, took a deep breath, and inserted the key in the keyhole that had manifested on the inside of the door.  It opened, and she walked into the white light.

~~~~

“She is coming to,” Ziah announced to the room.  Alex and a medic prepared for any potential shock.  Then Kara’s beautiful blue eyes shot open.

“Kara!”

“Kara!”

“Oh my god, Kara!”

All three of them shouted at once, then they all rushed to her bed.  None of them cared about the heat from the lamps.  Alex took Kara’s hand as Lena and Sam peppered her face with soft kissing.  A couple of times, Lena and Sam’s frantic kisses caused their heads to bump together, but neither of them were at all bothered.  The room filled with the gentle melody of Kara’s giggles, and finally, Lena and Sam pulled back enough to just look at her.

“Hi,” she whispered, looking each of them in the eyes then gazing over to Alex and squeezing her hand.  Tears began to well up in Sam’s eyes, and she softly placed a hand on Kara’s cheek.  She glanced over and exchanged a relieved look and a small smile with Lena.

Kaziah’s voice came from behind her.  “Welcome back to reality, Kara Zor-El.”  Kara turned her head and smiled brightly, then winced at the pain of moving her head.  “Thank you for your help, Kaziah.  But I might not have come if you had told me how painful reality would be.  Alex, what all is injured?  I need to know which parts of my body to avoid moving until the sun lamps finish their work.”

“You’ve got a skull fracture that is partially healed, three broken ribs, a hairline fracture in your right forearm that is almost fully healed.  Oh, and a spinal fracture.  Most of the internal bleeding and organ damage has healed already.”

“Is that all?”  Sam’s heart soared at Kara’s lighthearted joking. 

Lena seemed equally moved, at least enough that she felt comfortable scolding Kara.  “If you weren’t still injured I would punch you right now, Kara Zor-El Danvers.  Promise me that you’ll never put me through this ever again!  I thought I’d lost you.  I **_cannot_** lose you.”  Tears streaked down her face, and she glared at Kara in the most sentimental way possible.

“Cream puff, all I can promise is that I’ll try.”  Kara sounded guilty, but they all knew that Kara would never stop being a hero, with all the danger that came with it.  Sam exhaled, then turned to face Alex and Lena both.

“Listen, I need to take Kaziah home, and then I’ve got to pick up Ruby from school.  So, I’m going to have to leave soon.  Is it possible I could get a few moments alone with Kara?”  Alex immediately nodded.  She knew what Sam was going through, and the kind of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.  Unfortunately, Lena was much more hesitant, looking at her suspiciously.  Kara looked at them both, confusion all over her place. 

Sam walked around the bed and put a hand on Lena’s arm, leaned in, and whispered, “I’m not Reign.  Talk to Alex outside.  Please, Lee, I need this moment.”  Lena briefly looked at her in shock at her words, but then nodded slowly.  She kissed Kara softly on the lips, then turned and followed Alex out of the room.  Kaziah went also.

Pulling a chair close so she could sit right up next to Kara, there was less than a foot of space between their faces.  Sam gripped Kara’s hand hard and stroked her hair with the other hand.  Her eyes traced Kara’s face lovingly.  There was only a shadow of a bruise left around her left eye, and her golden hair masked whatever scabbed over wound was still present on the back of her head.  Ultimately, her face—the strong jaw, soft lips, adorable nose—looked the same as always, and yet, at the same time, she looked somehow more fragile.  Maybe it was just in Sam’s head, but suddenly she found herself sobbing again.

“Sam, sweetie, it’s okay.  It’s okay.  I’m okay,” Kara consoled.  Sam just heaved tears into her shoulder for a while.  When she finally looked back up at Kara, her face felt sore and swollen.  And looking back at those bright blue eyes, the words just slipped out.

“Kara, I l-love you.”  Her eyes grew wide.  She hadn’t meant to say that right then.  But Kara just smiled her dazzling smile.  She reached up her left hand and placed it firmly on Sam’s cheek.

“I love you, too.  I’m sorry I worried you.”  Sam smiled sadly, then felt her lip quivering again.

“It’s not … You didn’t …  Kara—” Sam’s voice dropped to a whisper, “—I thought I had killed you.”  Kara’s eyes narrowed in confusion, and her nose crinkled in that delightful way.  “I …  After you left with Lena…  I blacked out.  I woke up this morning with no memory of anything from last night.  I thought …  I saw the picture of you, broken on the concrete, and I thought …”  She couldn’t finish, as tears continued to fall from her eyes. 

Sam half expected Kara to recoil from her, but there was only concern on her features.  Sam drew in a deep breath, then let it out slowly.  “But I didn’t.  It wasn’t me.  While you were out, Alex ran some tests.  I hardly believed it, but she is sure that I’m not Reign.”  She looked away for a moment, trying to slow down her racing mind.  “We still have no fucking idea what I actually am, but at least I’m not the one who did this to you.”

“Sweetie, of course you’re not her.  She … she is heartless.  Merciless.  Of course you’re not her.”  Kara rubbed her finger across Sam’s knuckles, then caught her gaze.  “Kiss me.”  Sam immediately did as she was told.  She leaned down slowly, careful not to hurt Kara, and captured her lips softly in her own.  The kiss was a very still one, and they simply breathed each other in.  Suddenly Sam felt grounded again, like for the first time all day she didn’t have to worry about everything falling out from beneath her feet.

Sam pulled away less than an inch, her eyes on Kara’s lips.  Not daring to look up at her eyes yet.  “I …  Kara, be my girlfriend.  Please?”  She registered the movement of Kara’s face as she kissed Sam again, just a peck.  Then she glanced up at Kara’s eyes.  There was mirth and love and passion in equal parts dancing around behind them.

“I thought you’d never ask.”  She grinned wryly.

Sam’s heart fluttered.  She felt her lips break into a wide smile.  “Is that a yes?”

Kara rolled her eyes, and that was all the answer Sam needed.  “When I can get out of this bed, we need to tell Ruby.”

“We will.  I think it should be all three of us, though.  Does that make sense to you?”

“Yeah, that feels right.  I know you need to head out soon, but I’ll talk to Lena about it today.  She can text you after we’ve talked.”

Sam felt as though a massive weight had lifted from her shoulders.  Then she winced as she remembered.  “Umm … Kara?

“Yes?”  There was a hint of concern in her voice.

“I … may have told your sister that I love you before I told you.  Don’t be mad at me?”  Kara immediately laughed, then groaned. 

“Sam!  You can’t make me laugh right now; my ribs haven’t healed.”  She caught her breath, still grimacing a bit at the pain.  “Are you okay?  She didn’t threaten you again, did she?”

Sam snorted.  “No.  This was after she told me I wasn’t Reign.  I was kind of a mess, and she was really good to me.  It just sort of slipped out as I cried all over her.”

“That sounds very girlfriendy, Samantha.  Someone got ahead of herself.”  Sam felt her whole face light up at Kara’s joke.  She really was going to be okay.  Sam kissed her again, this time cautiously slipping in some tongue.  As she pulled away, she and Kara shared a goofy look. 

“Thank you for being okay.  I’d echo what Lena said, but I know you have to do your hero thing.  It’s what I signed up for when I asked you to be my girlfriend.”

“Oh, you mean like a minute and a half ago?”

“Yeah, that time.”

“Oh, okay.”  Kara stuck out her tongue, and now Sam’s face was beginning to hurt from all the smiling.

“I’ve gotta go, but I’ll try to come back later tonight, after dinner.  I can trust Ruby home alone for a couple of hours.”  She traced patterns on Kara’s forearms.

“What are you going to tell her?”

“I already told her that Lena was poisoned, so I’ll probably just tell Ruby I’m visiting her.”  She hated lying to her daughter, but Supergirl wasn’t her secret to share.

As if she could read the conflict on Sam’s face, Kara said, “Someday.  Someday we’ll figure out how to tell her that I’m Supergirl.  I can’t promise it’ll be soon, but I promise that we’ll keep talking about it going forward, okay?  It’s just … she’s a teenager, and even the best of them aren’t particularly trustworthy.”

“Jesus, Kara, you don’t have to tell me that.  I’m the one living with one full-time.  I get it.  I don’t blame you, and I would never ask you to expose yourself.  But sure, we can talk about it.”  She smirked.  “ ** _Girlfriend._** ”

She stood and looked down at Kara mischievously.  “Now, I have to go.  You heal up, because there are certain—” she leered very intentionally at Kara’s body, eyes tracing her from foot to head, “— ** _things_** I would like to do to your body very soon.”  She couldn’t resist a little flourish.  Sam winked at Kara, then turned and walked out of the room without another word.  _Always leave them wanting more._

~~~~

When Lena returned to Kara’s room, she felt as though she was a different person than when she left it.  She and Alex had engaged in a very thorough discussion about Sam, and it had taken Lena quite a while to accept that her oldest friend was not, in fact, the monster who had nearly killed her partner.  Too much evidence added up to that conclusion.

Sam’s past had always been mysterious.  She never got sick, not as long as Lena had known her.  Then she discovered she was an alien.  She had regular nightmares involving Kryptonese and dark cloaked figures.  Blackouts, time missing that she couldn’t explain.  And the most recent such blackout had perfectly coincided with the battle between Reign and Supergirl.  Even their appearances were similar.  Same height and build at least.  Between the mask, heavy makeup, and red eyes, it was hard to say conclusively that they were the same.  Nevertheless, how many coincidences had to add up before she had no choice but to jump to the only logical conclusion?

The only glaring hole in the theory was Sam’s lack of powers.  But if Sam was Reign, it was clear to Lena that Reign was some sort of other personality.  Maybe even some sort of parasite.  Maybe the powers only activated with the change in personality.  These were the thoughts that had spun through Lena Luthor’s mind as she had sat in silence by Kara’s comatose body.

Then Alex had told her it was physically impossible.  And Lena could tell from Alex’s body language earlier that she harboured the same suspicions as Lena.  She believed Alex would not be easily won over, and while Lena was a scientist in addition to an engineer and businesswoman, she had no training in biology or medicine.  She trusted Alex’s expertise.  Despite the dark voice in the back of her mind whispering that there were too many coincidences, Lena chose to hope for the best for Sam.  She was family, after all.

There were still a lot of unsolved questions about Sam, but she and Kara and Sam would figure them out together.  Kara was alive, and Sam was not possessed by a violent alien murderer.  Hence the lighter spirit she took into Kara’s room after Sam left the DEO with Kaziah.

“Hey there, beautiful.”  Kara smiled up at her but didn’t move her head.  She only flexed her fingers to indicate that she wanted to hold Lena’s hand.  Lena sat down beside her and intertwined their fingers.  “How is my foolish hero feeling?”

Kara pouted, but Lena just raised her eyebrows in response.  The question stood.  Kara debated putting on a brave face, then she sighed and looked sadly at Lena.  “I’ve never felt like this before, Lena.  It feels like everything hurts.  How do humans live with such frailty?”

“We run away from fights when we know we’re beaten, for starters.”  Lena couldn’t keep the anger out of her voice. 

“I get it, you’re pissed that I didn’t try to escape.  For the record … I **_did_** try once.  But—” she squeezed Lena’s hand tightly, “—I survived.  I’m here. You haven’t lost me.”

Lena’s eyes flashed with frustration and fear.  “You have no idea how I felt.  I woke up, and they were operating on you.  On **_Supergirl_**.  I didn’t even think that was possible.  I’d never even considered that it might be necessary.  You’re supposed to be indestructible.”  Lena’s voice broke, and she struggled to hold back tears.  “I’ve never worried too much about all the danger you place yourself in, because you’re supposed to be unbreakable.  It broke me to see you like that.  Unconscious on the surgeon’s table while they sewed up your head and operated on your arm.  I completely fell to pieces, Kara.”

Kara released her hand and reached up to stroke Lena’s tightly set jawline.  “Creampuff, I came back to you.  I’m so so sorry.  But I came back.”  She smiled softly.  “You want to know how Kaziah helped me?”

Lena took Kara’s hand back in her own, kissed it, then placed it back down on the bed, where she continued to hold it tightly.  “Sure, love.”

“I was torn between my two selves.  Kara Danvers and Supergirl.  In some ways, I always have been, but something fractured when Reign beat me.  I think it was because of what Alex told me before I flew off.  She told me I had to be Supergirl.  Purely, coldly Kryptonian.  If I wanted to have a chance against Reign.  She was wrong.”  A deep sorrowful look flashed across Kara’s face, but it passed quickly.  “Anyway, I ended up in a dreamlike version of the loft, but only one half was the loft.  The other half was my bedroom on Krypton.  I didn’t even notice anything was off until Kaziah pointed it out.”

“So, you couldn’t wake up because the two sides of you were in conflict?”

“I don’t know.  Maybe.  Something like that.  But that’s something I’ve gotta figure out for myself, and it’ll probably take time.  What I realized in there, what got me out, was that neither place was home.  Not really.”  Kara’s blue eyes sparkled as she gazed lovingly at Lena.  “ ** _You’re_** my home, Lena.  You’re the reason I came back.”

This time Lena could not stop the warm tears from coming.  She leaned over and kissed Kara as passionately as she dared, concerned about reopening her head wound.  “I love you, Kara Zor-El.  You’re my home, too.”  She kissed Kara again, suddenly incapable of getting enough.  She needed Kara’s lips on her, the taste of her lips and mouth, the feel of their breath flowing in and out of each other.  The feeling of home.

Lena couldn’t say how long they stayed like that, locked into each other and completely oblivious to anything else.  As she pulled away, Lena finally breathed out the rest of the tension she was holding.  “Lena?  There’s something else we should talk about.”  One look at Kara, and Lena was sure it was about Sam.  She wondered whether Kara saw the face of her lover in the features of the woman who beat her half to death.  Except that the look on Kara’s face was a happy one.

“What is it, darling?”

“She’s … my girlfriend?”  Kara was clearly nervous to see how Lena would react, which Lena found ridiculous, frankly.  She had been on board and supportive of Kara and Sam’s relationship from the beginning, and she always knew that their relationship would become more official eventually.  Honestly, Lena was surprised it took this long.  But that didn’t mean she wasn’t concerned.  That nagging voice in the back of her head was quiet, but it hadn’t left.

“Did she …  Kara, did she talk to you about what happened to her last night?”  She tried to phrase it as a question, not an accusation.

“You don’t really think Sam could be Reign, do you?  It’s **_Sam_**.”  She knew exactly what Kara meant.  The Sam she knew could never do these things, even with powers.  But she was pretty sure Sam had no say in the matter, if she was Reign.

“I … am trying extremely hard not to think that.  If not for Alex’s conclusions about her bloodwork, I would find it nearly impossible to believe that Sam wasn’t Reign.  Same height and build.  A mysterious Kryptonian past.  The blackout last night that perfectly corresponded with the timing of Edge’s murder and your battle.  A history of blackouts that roughly correspond with the period of time Reign has been murdering criminals.”  She didn’t think Kara had really thought about all of the evidence, and sure enough, her face clouded over.

Lena continued, “It’s … a lot, Kara.  A lot of coincidences, and if she isn’t Reign, we still don’t have any explanation for what she’s going through.  Or even what she is.  I trust Alex.  Trust the science.  But I cannot pretend that there isn’t a voice in the back of my mind that won’t stop asking the question.”

“Lena, she’s not capable of it.”

Lena’s heart filled with compassion and appreciation for Kara’s belief in Sam.  “Believe me, I know.  You forget, I’ve known her a lot longer than you.  Of **_course_** Sam isn’t capable of this.”

“You think someone is controlling her?  Or … that Reign is a separate personality?”  Lena nodded.

“But like I said, I trust Alex’s conclusions.  Still … until all of this Reign stuff blows over, until we stop her, I won’t be able to silence that voice.”  She stroked Kara’s hair.  “But I genuinely hope there’s a completely unrelated explanation for the odd goings on with Sam.  I am terribly happy for you both.  I can’t believe you were nervous about telling me.”  

“I know you love her.  Please, trust that you know her.  And if somehow Alex is wrong …  We have to save her, Lena.  We **_have_** to.”  Kara’s face was pure Supergirl in that moment.  Lena nodded.  She would try her damnedest.  “When I’m healed up, she wants to tell Ruby.  All three of us.”

That made sense.  She wondered how Ruby would take it.  The girl had always been curious and open-minded.  This might not phase her in the least.  But it was important she saw that all three of them had entered into this consensually and that they were all happy.  “Of course.  I’ll let Sam know that I’m in.  You just focus on getting healthy.”

“I’ll try.  Hey, Lena?”

“Yes, Kara?”

“What is Alex doing?”  Kara sounded as though she had already guessed, but Lena wanted to downplay it as much as possible.  She knew Kara would feel a responsibility to help.

“She and J’onn are thinking out contingency plans on how to handle Reign.  They’re looking at all options.  They’ve been in touch with your cousin as well.  But **_do not_** worry about it right now.”  Lena fixed Kara with her sternest look.  “Your back should keep you in that bed for another day at least, I would guess, but I won’t have you making your injuries worse by doing something foolish again before the lamps are done restoring you.”

Conflict raged behind Kara’s eyes, and then she tested her ability to pull her body up into a seated position.  She immediately gasped in pain and gave up.  Lena frowned at her.  “Okay.  You’re right.  I can’t help, even if I want to.  But I want to talk to her.  Can you go see if she might have some time to talk?” 

“I’ll see what I can do.  The medics are nearby, just shout if you need anything.”  She kissed Kara softly.  “I love you, darling.”

“I love you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously, I'm not touching the Legion of Superheroes BS at all in this fic, but fun fact: the comics character I based Kaziah on was actually Brainy's mom.


	22. Countermeasures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team works on possible ways to defeat Reign, even though Supergirl is still out of commission and J'onn allowed Superman to destroy all of the DEO's kryptonite.

** Chapter 22 **

Kara had fallen asleep again, so Lena had gone to find Alex and see how things were going in their plans for Reign.  She glanced at her watch and realized she hadn’t eaten anything since the breakfast tacos Alex brought her.  She found Winn before she found Alex, so she asked him, “Hey, what’s a girl gotta do to get some dinner around here?”

Winn glanced around, then at the clock on his computer screen, and offered, “I’ve got some time; wanna run down to the food court on the ground floor of the building?”  Lena nodded.  On the way, they discussed the DEO’s plans for Reign. 

“How are the anti-Reign contingencies developing?”  She had trouble imaging what the DEO could do if Supergirl was no match for the Worldkiller.

“J’onn’s enacting something he’s calling the ‘Sundown Protocol.’  Apparently, he had a super secret DEO contingency plan in place in case Superman ever got tired of the whole good guy routine.  Crazy right?”

Lena didn’t think it was crazy at all, but she had a fairly conflicted history with the Man of Steel.  Sure, she had basically saved his life when Lex nearly killed him, but he had never really let go of his prejudices against her last name.  He had never displayed anything but begrudging respect for her place in Kara’s life.  And she didn’t quite trust his holier than thou mindset or the speed with which he jumped to very black and white conclusions.  She could understand why J’onn wanted a contingency plan in place.  “It doesn’t hurt to be prepared.  And it isn’t as if this is the first time a new Kryptonian has popped up on Earth threatening violence.”

“I guess that’s a fair point.”  Lena knew about Winn’s crush on Superman, but now wasn’t the time to tease him about it.  “Anyway, we’ve got an arsenal of red sun grenades, sound bombs, kryptonite darts, and more … the problem is that there isn’t enough kryptonite to go around.”

“Why not?”  If the DEO couldn’t be trusted to keep the world’s kryptonite storage safe, then who could?

“Superman took it all.”  _Of course, he did._   Wynn saw the look on Lena’s face, so he explained further.  “He used to work with the DEO, I guess early on after J’onn, you know, stole Hank Henshaw’s identity, but they had a falling out over a giant deposit of kryptonite in a meteor that crashed out in the desert.  Supes had been destroying any kryptonite he found on Earth, but J’onn wanted to hold onto it.  At the time, General Zod had already proven to be a threat, and J’onn worried about other Kryptonians popping up.  But Superman didn’t trust it in the hands of the government.”

Lena could understand that, at least, but destroying the kryptonite obviously wasn’t the answer either.  She started formulating some ideas of her and filed the thought away for later consideration.  Winn continued, “Your mom stole a chunk of kryptonite two summers ago and used it to create Metallo.  After that, J’onn and Superman reconciled, and he agreed to turn over the DEO’s stores to Superman.  I never heard what Superman did with it, but apparently he destroyed it.”  While talking, Winn followed Lena to the sushi place where she bought her dinner. 

As they walked from the sushi place, Lena said softly, “I might have a solution to that particular problem.  As I’m sure you can guess, Lex went to great lengths to gather as much kryptonite as he could find.  I was able to track down nearly all of his known stores and keep them out of the hands of my mother.  That’s probably why Cadmus had to steal from the DEO.”

“So … you’ve got a secret store of the only material in the galaxy that can kill your girlfriend?”  Winn was shocked; she could read it all over his face. 

“Yes well, can you imagine anyone better suited to safekeep it than someone who would literally die before letting harm come to Kara?”  Winn seemed to soften at that point.  They waited to pick the conversation back up until after Winn bought some Chinese food.  They sat at a small table away from the center of the food court, where no one could listen in.

“I’m telling you about it now, but I trust you can keep this a secret until I’ve had an opportunity to discuss it with Kara.  Please, Winn?” 

“I will, but that conversation needs to happen like right after we eat our food, okay?  I trust you will do the right thing here, and I don’t have to tell you how fucking dangerous Reign is.” 

“You certainly do not.  I’d rather not go through an emotional wringer like the past day ever again, thank you very much.  For the record, I was also able to recover some kryptonite from a few of the crashed Daxamite ships.”

She did not disclose that her team found more than just green kryptonite among those ships.  There were multiple chunks of raw kryptonite, yes.  But the Daxamites had also developed a wide array of kryptonite-based weapons—daggers, swords, a couple of spears, and twenty grenades that released aerosolized kryptonite gas.  There were also multiple shards of synthetic red and silver kryptonite.  Lena had these all locked away in the most secure and secret place she could possibly devise.  Only she had access, and she had been working on her own to study the kryptonite and understand its bizarre properties, especially the synthetic colours.

“My stores should be more than enough to build any anti-Reign weapo—” She was cut off by a quiet alarm tone from Winn’s phone.  He looked down at it, whispered, “shit,” and then pulled Lena up to rush over to the nearest television screen.  Reign’s face filled the screen, and they had clearly walked up in the middle of a soliloquy. 

“… baffles me how you humans have allowed the worst of your kind so much free rein to act on their worst natures.  How you coddle violence and hatred and oppression.”  The camera pulled away, and Lena could see a badly beaten man at Reign’s feet.  It looked like she had broken into a news station and forced them to broadcast her message to the city.  “You look away while evil men rape, torture, murder … your society grows fat on the greed of the corrupt.  This apathy will no longer be tolerated.”

Behind the mask, Reign’s face tightened into an expression of righteous disdain.  “So far, I have gone after only the worst of you.  The unpunished criminals whose violence forfeited their lives.  This will continue, but there will no longer be any mercy for those who seek to interfere.  Supergirl and I could have been allies, but her pride was too great.  Now she is dead.  There can be no mercy for those who look away or enable injustice.  I will purge this world of evil.  I **_will_** bring justice.  I am here to help.”

In a gruesome act of violence of her own, Reign burned away the man’s skull with her heat vision, then glared directly at the camera for a brief moment before flying away.  _She’s declaring a war on crime in National City.  And corruption, whatever she means by that._ Lena couldn’t help but admit that Reign’s goals resonated with her on some level.  But her means went too far.  She was a cold-hearted murderer, whatever lofty ideals she held.  And she had nearly killed Kara.  Something Lena could never forgive.

~~~~

By the time they got back up to the DEO, Lena found Kara awake again, with Maggie and Alex talking her down from trying to get out of bed.  Lena reacted immediately.  “Kara Zor-El Danvers if I catch you out of bed, I will kill you myself!”

Kara’s eyes grew wide as she registered Lena’s presence, and she settled back into her bed.  Maggie smirked and shot Lena a congratulatory wink.  “Damn, Li’l Luthor, you’ve got it on **_lock_**.” 

“You’re goddamn right, I do.”  She came to a halt beside Kara and stared her down. 

However, Kara was nothing if not persistent.  “Lena, did you see?”  Lena nodded.  “She’s out there.  She’s dangerous.  And she’s expanding her range of targets.  I can’t just sit here.”

“That is **_exactly_** what you’re going to do.”  She looked up at Alex and Maggie, who were both enjoying the show.  “Can I have a minute with the stubborn Kryptonian, please?”

“Don’t go too hard on her,” Alex chided.  “She’s still healing.”  They walked away, Maggie saying something that caused Alex to chuckle.  Lena pulled up a chair and turned back to Kara, face making it clear that she was deadly serious.

“A dead Supergirl won’t help anyone.  Can you even walk yet?”  From Kara’s face, it was immediately obvious that the Kryptonian had no idea.  “Exactly.  I know you want to help, but for now, you have to trust J’onn and the DEO to contain Reign.  They’re working on a plan, that I’m probably going to help with.”  Now it was Kara’s turn to be concerned.

“Help in what way?”

“That’s what I need to discuss with you, darling.”  Lena took Kara’s hand.  “Winn explained that Superman destroyed all the kryptonite the DEO had.  Kryptonite that could’ve be useful against a rogue Kryptonian Worldkiller.”

Kara interrupted her.  “You’ve got some, don’t you?”

“Of course, I do.  One of my first actions as interim CEO was to track down every single cache of kryptonite Lex had and secure it.  It is safe.  And I will make it available to the DEO, if you think that is a good idea.”  Kara’s face was difficult to read, even for Lena.  She traced Kara’s knuckles softly with her thumb. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Lena gave the question some thought rather than spitting out her first thought.  “When should I have told you?”  Kara frowned.  “Kara, it just hasn’t come up.  This is the first time that the subject has ever been relevant.  You know I wouldn’t hide this from you.”

Kara swallowed.  “Yeah, I do.  Sorry.  Kryptonite is a sore subject.”

“That’s why I wanted to talk to you.  I think that it is safest with me.  Superman will destroy it if he gets it, and if he knows I have it, that will only make him hate me more.”  Kara opened her mouth to argue, but Lena cut her off with a look.  “Fine!  Not hate.  But he already doesn’t think I’m worthy of you, and this will only convince him further.  He’s sees the world as black and white.  Please, love, we cannot tell him.”  Kara gave no answer, but Lena could tell from her facial expression that she wouldn’t fight her on this.  “As for the DEO, how do you think they will react when I tell them I have kryptonite?”

Kara gave it some thought.  “Alex is gonna be mad at you, but she trusts you.  J’onn  … I can’t really say.  He may want to take it off your hands.”

“I won’t allow that.”  Lena was emphatic.  “And I need you to back me up on that, darling.  I don’t trust the government with the only thing in the world—other than Reign, I guess—that can kill you.” 

“I agree.”  Kara looked worried.  “I never told you, but the president ordered the Daxamite ship destroyed before I could get there to save you.”  Kara’s hand tightened on Lena’s.  “I was able to get you out in time, and then Kal destroyed the cannon while he was under the influence of silver kryptonite, but … I’ll never quite trust the governments of Earth again.  President Marsdin is someone I admire and like tremendously, but I believe she made the wrong call in that moment.  We’re together on this.  The kryptonite is safest with you.”

Lena breathed a sigh of relief.  She believed firmly that she was right, but she had feared she might have to fight Kara on this point.  It was soothing to know that they were on the same page.  “Okay.  I’ll go get Alex and J’onn, and we can all talk about it in here—are you up for it?”

“I can handle it, Lena.  Thanks for looking out for me.”  Lena texted Alex.

[6:03 p.m.]    **I can help you with your anti-Reign countermeasures.  Please grab J’onn and meet Kara and me in her room.**

It took maybe five minutes for Alex and J’onn to show up, both looking equal parts concerned and confused.  “You rang?” Alex asked sardonically.

“Indeed I did, Agent Danvers.  I hear that you lot could use some kryptonite right about now.”  J’onn was as stoic as ever, but Alex immediately glared daggers at Lena.  Lena met her glare with a warm smile.  “Now, Alex,” she chided, “Before you yell at me, yes, I have kryptonite, and no, I won’t tell you where it.  It is safe.  Supergirl trusts that it is safe, and that should be the final word on the topic.  That said, I will provide the DEO with all the kryptonite it needs to fight Reign.”

“I’m sorry, that was supposed to make me **_not_** yell at you?”  Lena knew she was playing a dangerous game with Kara too injured to protect her from Alex’s … exuberance. 

“Alex, calm down.  Ms. Luthor is offering us help.”  Lena could tell there was more going on in J’onn’s head, but she was glad for his support.

“I do have a few stipulations about the use of my kryptonite.  First, any kryptonite that is not destroyed will be returned to me after the threat from Reign has passed.  As much as I trust you and Lucy, and the current leadership of the DEO, I don’t feel comfortable with any government entity possessing a material whose sole purpose is harming Kara and those like her.  This is a temporary loan, and Supergirl will ensure that any remaining kryptonite is returned to me.”  Lena glanced over, and Kara nodded emphatically.  It was more golden retriever than attack dog, but it was also really cute, so Lena couldn’t complain.

Alex had long since learned that arguing was pointless when Lena and Kara presented a unified front, so she just sighed in frustration and snapped, “Fine.  How quickly can you get it to us.”

“Do you need it tonight?  If it can wait until tomorrow, I can better arrange for a safe transfer by people I trust, but if you need to start getting outfitted before then, I’ll see what I can do.”

“We don’t have any imminent plans yet, but we are working through a plan for a trap I intend to set for Reign tomorrow.  I’m no Supergirl, but I can hold my own against Kryptonians, and if all else failed—” he shimmered with a red light, “—she can’t harm what she can’t touch.”  He smiled lightly at Lena.  “Tomorrow works.  And I trust you would be willing to consult with us on developing the best ways to weaponize kryptonite against Reign.”

“You’re goddamn right, I will.  That bitch hurt my Kara.”  Lena hadn’t meant for her voice to be so … fierce, but it just sort of came out.  She wouldn’t let anyone hurt Kara.  Not again.  Lena got up and followed them out, turning to give Kara a look that made it clear she’d be right back.  “Hey, Alex, can I talk to you for just a second?”

Alex waited up while J’onn kept walking.  Lena wasn't quite sure how to say what she needed to say.  “I …”  She could feel her eyes watering as she tried to compose her feelings.  “I know that you’re sure Sam isn’t Reign.  But.  When you go after her … please don’t kill her.  Not unless you have no other choice.  If there’s even the tiniest chance that my friend is hidden away in there…  I can’t lose her.  **_Kara_** can’t lose her.  Please, Alex.”

They held each other’s gaze for a solid minute.  But Alex nodded, then after thinking about it for a couple of seconds, moved in to hug Lena.  “I really don’t think it’s her.  But I get why you’re worried.  I promise.  We’ll do what we can to take her in alive.”  Lena breathed a sigh of relief, not realizing how much tension she had been carrying. 

“Thank you.  Is there somewhere I can sleep here tonight?  The chairs in Kara’s room aren’t exactly the comfiest.”  Alex chuckled.

“Yeah, give me some time, and I’ll come find you.” 

“Thank you, Alex.  For everything.”

“That’s what family is for.”  Alex turned and walked away as Lena’s entire heart melted in her chest.  _Family._   She smiled brightly and wiped the tears from her eyes, then headed back to see Kara.

~~~~

As the team returned from their encounter with Reign, Lena could tell Reign had beaten them again.  Several agents were injured, including Alex.  She had an arm around J’onn, who was supporting her so that she didn’t put any weight on her right leg.  Her short purple hair was askew, and she kept trying to get it out of her face.  Lena couldn’t help but notice that she seemed more annoyed by the hair than the leg.  “Alex!  Alex!  What happened?  Are you okay?”  She chased along the party as medics and doctors rushed forward to take the injured to surgery, as necessary. 

“It all went to shit, Lena.”  A doctor came by and helped Alex onto a gurney.  Lena followed along with J’onn as the doctor took Alex for x-rays.  Lena was afraid to speak.  J’onn looked as defeated as she had ever seen him.  Alex, on the other hand, looked at though she might throw her gurney against the wall.  She was barely containing her anger.  They waited a few minutes, then the doctor came back with the scans.

“Agent Danvers, your tibia is more or less snapped in half.  We’ll need to get you to surgery right away.”

“What’s the recovery time?”  Alex’s voice was tense.

“At best, you’re looking at three months.  Could be as many as six.”

Alex slammed her fist against the gurney.  “Fuck that! Lena, you can get me some fancy L-Corp robot whatever that will have my leg good to go in the next few days, right?”  Lena considered it.  L-Corp had long since scrapped Lex’s old weapons programs, but they had been making advances in robotics and medical technology.  As CEO, she wasn’t sure what all was being created off the top of her head, but she was sure they had something that could help.

“I’ll look into it.  I’m almost certain I can help.  But in the meantime, you should absolutely have surgery.  Anything L-Corp has is likely more of an external fix.”  She placed a hand on Alex’s shoulder, worried about how much pain she must be in just then.  Alex simply nodded, and after confirmation with J’onn, the doctor and a medic took Alex away to prep her for surgery.

Lena turned to J’onn.  “What happened?  I thought we were prepared for her?”  J’onn blew out a frustrated breath and led her out of the examination room.  Lena had gotten the DEO the kryptonite as promised, and they had spent the majority of the day putting together what should have been an overkill arsenal for taking down a Kryptonian.  She gave Alex a pair of Kryptonite swords, and the other agents were outfitted with kryptonite dart guns and a couple of aerosol grenades each.  Lena didn’t fully understand all the powers that J’onn’s Martian DNA granted him, but she had been led to believe they were extensive.  She couldn’t fathom how the team had returned looking this demoralized and defeated.

“This Worldkiller is more than Kryptonian, it would seem.  She shrugged off the sound bombs and kryptonite like it was nothing. Alex did some damage with those kryptonite swords you loaned us, but the wounds barely seemed to phase Reign.  And it cost Alex her leg.”  He paused, clearly feeling that he had failed in his self-appointed role as Alex’s protector.  “Supergirl and Superman would have been completely incapacitated by what we threw at her.  I’m honestly terrified that we don’t stand a chance here.”  J’onn’s usually gruff voice was uncharacteristically weak.  He usually held his human form while working in the DEO, but it appeared he couldn’t even be bothered with it right now.  Everything about his body language spoke to a man at the end of his rope.

Lena was unaccustomed to feeling terror but hearing J’onn admit his own fears filled her veins with ice.  And not the empowering Luthor ice she was familiar with.  “The other agents were able to get Alex away from her, while I fought her one on one.  I managed to avoid her blows by allowing her attacks to phase through me, but I wasn’t fast enough to land any of my own, once she had a chance to analyze my tactics.  We only survived because you had the foresight to create a concentrated liquid form of kryptonite.  I used my invisibility to catch her by surprise and inject it directly into her jugular.”

She was almost scared to ask.  “What happened to her?”

“I’m certain that if I injected that much kryptonite into any normal Kryptonian’s bloodstream, it would kill them in minutes.  With Reign, it incapacitated her for mere moments.  But it hurt her enough that she fled.  At best, I think we’ve earned ourselves a few days to regroup and recover.” 

Lena considered the implications of J’onn’s words.  _We’re all fucking screwed._   ”Okay, I’m going to go update Kara.  If I have your approval, I’d like to conduct some more intensive research into the kryptonite, to see if I can modify it in a way that will be more effective against Reign.  I’d like to also work with Winn to improve his anti-kryptonite gear for Kara.” 

“That makes sense to me.  I’ll inform Agent Schott.”  It meant a lot to Lena how much J’onn respected her, and her ability to help the DEO in this fight.  She continued holding his gaze, sensing that there was more he wanted to say.  Finally, he broke down and confessed, “The most disorienting part of this is that she tried to reason with us.  Once she realized that we weren’t actually bank robbers—that we had baited her and were prepared for her with anti-Kryptonian weapons—she gave us a chance to leave.  She couldn’t care less about us.  Said we weren’t a part of her mission.  But if we stood against her, she would show no mercy.”

J’onn’s fully red eyes were more expressive than she would have assumed.  She could see his fear, along with a healthy amount of conflict.  Reign was unlike anything he had ever faced before.  Lena couldn’t really think of an appropriate response, but she didn’t think that was the point.  J’onn simply needed someone to whom he could confess his fears and concerns, so that he could go on being the steadfast leader they all needed right now.  Lena was happy to provide him what he needed.

“After I talk to Kara, I’ll head to L-Corp and see what we’ve got that can help Alex improve her recovery time.  I have a feeling you’ll be needing your best agent in the fight to come.”  Lena made a mental note to call Maggie as soon as she was done talking to Kara.

“You’re welcome to return here to sleep for the night, Ms. Luthor, if you want to stay near Kara.  I expect she should be up and about by morning.  In fact, if I had to guess, I would expect that you will have trouble keeping her in her bed once you tell her about Alex’s injury.”

“You leave that to me.”  J’onn smiled warmly at her.

“You are a strong person, Ms. Luthor.  Kara is lucky to have you.  And as much as things seem bleak right now, I feel more confident knowing we have you on our side.  You’ve been an invaluable ally to the DEO.”  They exchanged a brief, and only slightly awkward, hug. 

“Take care of yourself, J’onn J’onzz.  We’ll get through this.”  

“Indeed we will.  Goodnight, Ms. Luthor.”


	23. Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our ladies explain the situation to Ruby. Later, Kara catches up with Cat Grant.

** Chapter 23 **

Kara was glad to finally be free of that bed.  The first thing she had done when she was able was shoot straight up into the sky until she could see nothing but clouds beneath her.  She had needed that moment to just leave everything behind and get away from the incredible stress of the past three days.

Of course, she couldn’t avoid the stress for long.  None of them could.  Kara looked over at Lena.  They had just parked in Sam’s driveway, but they both needed a quiet moment to prepare themselves.  Sam had invited them for dinner, but the true purpose of the evening was to tell Ruby that Sam and Kara were in a relationship.  Kara’s nerves were on fire as her brain imagined all the ways things could go wrong tonight, but she suspected tonight was a welcome distraction for Lena.

Cadmus had dropped their first video since the Daxamite invasion early that day.  As it turns out, having a nearly all-powerful alien flying around murdering people was a pretty good propaganda tool for an anti-alien terrorist group.  Cadmus painted Reign’s targets, the literal scum of the Earth, as the tragic victims of anti-human violence.  Nevermind that a few of Reign’s victims were not human.  To top it all off, Morgan Edge was the poster child of the video, which ended with a call to arms for all humans who wanted to take a stand against “the tyranny of the alien invaders.”  When it rains, it pours.

Lena reached over and kissed Kara lightly on the lips.  “Good luck,” she offered, only half joking.  When they rang the doorbell, it was Ruby who answered.

“Hey Lena!” she exclaimed as she hugged Lena.  Kara received a similar greeting.  “Mom’s in the kitchen.”  The followed her inside. 

“Hey cuties!  We’ve got probably thirty minutes until the tenderloin is ready, and I just put the diced sweet potatoes in the oven.  Pour some wine, and we’ll hang out in the living room.”  She eyed Ruby.  “How’s that homework coming?”

Ruby groaned.  “It’s all finished.  Except for geometry, but that’s easy.  I’ll knock it out after dinner.  I want to hang out with Lena and Kara.”  Kara’s stomach fluttered a little—she hadn’t realized that Ruby liked her all that much.

Coming around from the kitchen, a glass of wine in hand, Sam glanced from Lena to Kara, her eyebrows raised in question.  Kara nodded once, too nervous to muster any further movement of her head.  Sam turned her gaze back to Ruby.  “Well that’s fortunate, since the three of us were hoping to chat with you about something.”

Sam joined Kara and Lena on the couch, sitting on Kara’s right.  She and Kara exchanged a look, neither of them quite sure where to start.  Ruby looked at her mom with a look of utter confusion.  A full minute of awkward silence passed, and then Kara heard a derisive snort from her left.

“What your mother and Kara are clearly too ridiculous to just say is that they are dating.  Each other.”  Ruby’s eyes grew wider.  Lena turned to Sam and Kara and scolded, “There, I broke the ice.  Will you both chill out and stop being massive weirdos, please?”

Sam grinned wryly back at Lena.  “Thanks, jerk.”  She focused on Ruby and cleared her throat.  “Yeah so… like Lena stated oh so eloquently, Kara and I—”

Kara jumped in, exclaiming excitedly, “We’re girlfriends!” as she intertwined her fingers with Sam’s.  Sam smiled at her impulsiveness, and Lena chuckled. 

Ruby’s voice was soft, at first.  “But … what about you and Lena?”  Kara grinned, and took Lena’s hand into her left.

“We’re girlfriends, too!”  She glanced at Lena, who simply shook her head in faux exasperation.  Kara hoped she wasn’t making things even more awkward, but she couldn’t think of a better way to approach this.  She loved these women, and she didn’t see the point in tempering that to ease Ruby into it or some such.  It was important that she saw this as normal and happy and good.

“Okay?  So … what you guys are like a throuple now?”  _What the heck is a throuple?_   She looked to Sam for clarification and was met with an openly mocking grin.  Instantly, Kara’s eyes narrowed, and her nose crinkled.

“Sam!  Don’t make fun of me.”  She turned back to Ruby.  “What’s a throuple?”

“Oh, it’s like a couple, but three people.”  Kara laughed at herself.

“Duh, because of course it is.  Sorry, that’s kinda obvious, huh?”  Ruby joined in her laughter.  

Sam explained, “Ruby, we’re not a throuple.  Although, I think the technical term for what you’re describing is a triad.”  She took a sip of wine, and Kara tried not to think too hard about how sexy it was when Sam explained things.  “I’m with Kara, and Kara is with Lena, but Lena and I are friends, the same as we’ve always been.  Does that make sense?”

“Yeah, sure, I guess.”  Ruby grinned mischievously and muttered under her breath, “I don’t know why you wouldn’t wanna date Lena though.”  Kara could feel her eyes widen in surprise, and Lena nearly choked on her wine. 

Feeling impulsive, Kara leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, “I know, right?”  That earned her a wide smile from the teen.

Sam cleared her throat again, eager to move the conversation back in a slightly more comfortable direction.  “Honey, I just want you to know that this doesn’t change anything.  Lena and I are still best friends, and Lena and Kara still live together and love each other very much.  The only difference will be that Kara might be around more often, sometimes without Lena.  And sometimes I might need to call Mrs. Queller on nights when Kara and I wanna go out on a date—”

“Why can’t I just hang out with Lena when you and Kara go out?”  She smiled expectantly in Lena’s direction, but then her face clouded.  “Wait a sec …  **_I knew it_**!  That time you hung out with Kara—you said it wasn’t a date!”  Sam winced, and Kara and Lena both laughed jovially. 

Sam glared at them, then said, “I’m sorry, Rubes.  That was our first date, and we weren’t necessarily sure how things were going to go.  I didn’t want to tell you until I was sure there was something to tell.  Does that make sense?”

“Yeah, but I’m just saying, you’re a bad liar.  I knew something was going on the whole time.”  Kara found Ruby’s self-satisfied tone pretty endearing, actually.

“This is what you get for raising your daughter to be perceptive, open-minded, and inquisitive, darling.”  Lena couldn’t resist teasing Sam.  As the two of them traded playful barbs, all Kara could think of was how comfortable this all felt.  How right.  She prayed a silent thanks to Rao.  This was exactly the sort of normalcy that they all needed right now, even if it was only a brief respite before they had to face Reign, Cadmus, and the rest of the world again. 

Kara was brought out of her reverie when Sam asked Ruby, “Do you have any questions for us?”  She had considered several potential questions that Ruby might ask while she was preparing for this conversation—Isn’t this just cheating?  Is Lena really okay with it?  But who will get married to whom?  Etc.  You know, the basics.  Heck, she had even prepared for something along the lines of ‘are you going to adopt me?’  (The answer was no, Kara absolutely wasn’t prepared for that.)  But the only question Ruby had for them completely took Kara by surprise.

“Are you out about this?  I mean … if I’m talking about Kara in conversation with a friend, can I call her your girlfriend?”  Even though she was baffled, Kara smiled brightly.  Ruby had skipped right past all of the uncomfortable ‘ew what even is poly?’ sort of questions and jumped right into questions of how she could help support their relationship.  Sam really had raised a good kid, despite her constant complaints that teenagers were all monsters.

“Sweetie, we have nothing to hide.  Just know that some people might think that this is weird or even wrong.  Lena is pretty well known in this city, and people might recognize Kara as her girlfriend. But all you need to worry about is that Kara, Lena, and I are all happy about this.  There is never anything wrong or bad about love, okay?”  Ruby nodded.  “And if anyone bothers you about it, let me know immediately.”

Ruby’s eyes fixed on Kara’s, and her face shifted into an unexpectedly stern expression for a teenager.  She pointed her index finger at Kara dramatically.  “I’m cool with this, but you better not hurt my mom.”  She glanced over at Lena.  “Or Lena!  I’ve known them both longer than you have.  Don’t mess with me.” 

Lena snickered, but Sam was quick to reprimand her daughter.  “Rubes, I love your enthusiasm, and thanks for protecting my honour or whatever, but if you talk to Kara like that again, you’re going to be in trouble.”  Ruby didn’t respond, but she pointed her finger at Kara one last time for emphasis.  “And on that note, I’m going to go check on dinner.”

Before long, they were all seated at the four-person table off to the side from the kitchen.  Kara sat between Lena and Sam, as usual, and across from Ruby.  Dinner was truly excellent, but Kara was so glad that she ate before she came over.  Otherwise, she would’ve definitely been left hungry.  They were all in agreement that Supergirl was too heavy a secret to burden a teenager with.  Not to mention a rabid Supergirl fan like Ruby.

Dinner conversation was lively and comfortable, if skewed a little much in favour of the goings on at Ruby’s high school.  Kara took something of a backseat.  Lena, Sam, and Ruby all got along like they’d been having dinner like this together for years—because they had been.  Kara was the newbie here and was entranced by the interactions among the other three.

Kara was so spellbound that Ruby’s sudden radical shift in conversation topic caught her completely off guard, and she dropped her half-eaten slice of tenderloin back onto her plate.  She must have looked like an idiot right then, with her mouth agape, eyes wide, face red, and only have holding onto the fork in her hand.  Then Sam answered, and Kara was able to slightly recover her composure.

Ruby had asked, in deceptively casual fashion, whether Kara would be sleeping over sometimes now.  Accustomed to Ruby’s subtle method of interrogation, Sam was completely unfazed.  She simply swallowed the food in her mouth, turned to Ruby, and answered, “Maybe. …  Probably.”

            Lena gave Sam and Kara a knowing look, and retorted, “Definitely.”  Kara’s face heated up again.  She and Sam hadn’t discussed this yet.  They hadn’t even had sex yet, though Sam had been dropping entirely unsubtle hints that she would be very unhappy if she had to hold out much longer.  Personally, Kara hadn’t thought far enough ahead to anticipate the question of sleeping arrangements.  She hated the idea of Lena having to sleep alone, but the idea of spending all night sleeping comfortably cuddled in Sam’s arms thrilled her.

Sensing the conflict in Kara’s soul, Lena put a hand on her thigh.  She explained to Ruby, “It isn’t something the three of us have discussed yet.  We’ll talk about it, but between you and me, kiddo, I think it’s a pretty safe bet Kara might be around some mornings.”  Sam smiled and nodded.  Kara was so happy that her girlfriends were so good at soothing her discomfort when she found herself in awkward situations.

 _My girlfriends._ Kara felt her whole body brighten.  She’d had never thought of Lena and Sam collectively as her girlfriends before.  It was wonderful.

Ruby smiled at her.  “Well, whatever you decide, just be sure you bring your phone charger.  I’m not sharing.”  Kara giggled.  A phone charger was not something that would’ve ever occurred to Kara as a potential source of conflict. 

“You’ve got a deal.”  Kara caught Sam smiling widely at her out of the corner of her eye.  This was going to work out just fine.

~~~~

The sun was setting gently over the horizon, but it was still plenty light outside.  Kara checked to be sure Ms. Grant was alone in her office before she dropped down onto the balcony and waited to be noticed.  Ms. Grant’s eyes cut over to the balcony almost immediately, and what followed was the strangest and possibly most beautiful thing Kara had ever seen.  Cat Grant, the self-appointed Queen of All Media—always the epitome of poise and never in a hurry for anyone—literally _pranced out to meet her_.  She paused right in front of Kara, halting as if considering whether to indulge in a brief moment of sentimentality and emotion, then pulled Kara into a warm embrace.

“I’m so glad you’re okay.”  Kara didn’t know if Ms. Grant would ever stop surprising her, but she kinda hoped not.  Her mentor’s genuine expression of care did more to heal her than both of the days under the sun lamps combined.  As she stepped back a pace from Kara, she cleared her throat and resumed the full presence of **_the_** Cat Grant.  Kara couldn’t help but smile knowingly.

“Thank you for covering for me with Snapper.”  Cat had told him that Kara had rushed to the scene of the battle between Supergirl and Reign and had been injured by a flying piece of rubble tossed aside by one or the other of the superpowered aliens. 

“That was nothing.  Believe it or not, I think you actually earned a good deal of respect with him for rushing into the thick of things all to get a story.  Just remember that when you come back to work in the next couple of days, you’ll need to wear a brace or a soft cast or something on your left wrist long enough to sell the cover story.”  Even now, Kara could see the concern hiding behind Ms. Grant’s stoic façade—suddenly Kara felt bad that she hadn’t tried to get in touch with her sooner.

“Ms. Grant, I’m so sorry!  I should have tried to let you know sooner that I was okay.  I mean I was in a coma for most of the first day, but I could’ve at least sent you a text once I woke up.  I didn’t realize you would worry so much.”  Kara tried not to be obvious in her fishing for an admission from Ms. Grant, but as usual, she was not as subtle as she tried to be.

“As if, Supergirl.  You’re too important to this city, and I’ve put too much time into developing your brand, for it to all end in tragedy at the hand of some leather clad murderer in a stylish cape.”  _Stylish cape, really?_ But Kara could see the glint behind her eye that betrayed the depth of her affection for Kara. 

“Uh huh.  My brand.  That’s definitely why you hugged me just now.  And you know, Ms. Grant, when it’s just the two of us, you can just call me Kara.  I think we’re past pretending like you don’t know.”

Cat rolled her eyes and waved Kara’s suggestion off like it was nonsense.  “I **_invented_** that name; I think I’ll use it when I damn well please.  **_Kara._** ”  She threw it Kara’s given name with a healthy amount of playful derision in her voice.  Turning away slightly, she added softly, “And I **_suppose_** , if you don’t ever tell anyone about it, you can call me Cat.  But **_only_** when it is the two of us.”  She gave Kara a quick, but stern, side eye for emphasis.

Kara smiled widely.  “Well, it’s still better than **_Keira_**.”  She was pleased to draw a snicker from Ms. Grant.  “Have I mentioned how glad I am that you’re back in National City?”

“I believe that was either the fourth or fifth time you’ve mentioned it, in fact.”  A faint smirk danced along Cat’s lips.  “I do make excellent company—at least for people who are not, for example, the walking personification of white male privilege.  So, I’ll allow you your enthusiasm.”  She gestured for Kara to follow her inside, but Kara had an idea what she wanted, so she beat her to it.  Before Cat could take three steps, she had a glass of brandy in her hand, and Kara was back in her spot by the wall of the balcony.

“Still know me so well, don’t you, Kara?  Ms. Teschmacher has managed to avoid getting herself fired for over a year now, which is a record for any of my assistants **_not_** secretly moonlighting as superheroes.”  She drew out the ‘s’ slightly in that way she always did.  “But she’s no you.”

“It’s amazing I lasted as long as I did, given your proclivity for threatening to fire employees you find out are moonlighting as crime fighters.”

“Yes, well, you were an actual hero who also managed to be excellent at her job—at least when you weren’t disappearing in the middle of the day.  And even then, you never let anything slip through the cracks.  Mr. Olsen on the other hand … made a mess of both the CatCo and the vigilante gigs.  You’re hardly comparable.”  Kara almost felt bad for James, but she couldn’t help the thrill that shot through her at Cat’s praise.

Cat’s features softened.  “I never apologized to you for that.  Everyone needs a refuge, a place where they can unwind and fit in and … well, you more than anyone deserve that.  I should never have expected that you would be better served by being Supergirl full time.  I’m sorry I threatened to fire you.”

Kara had never expected this apology from Cat.  She had been so frustrated that she forced her into that decision.  It was so unfair and flew in the face of so much of the advice Ms. Grant had given her previously.  Part of her had hoped even then, that she could trust Cat with her secret, and it hurt to realize that she absolutely couldn’t.  “We’re long past that now, but I appreciate your apology.  It means a lot.”

Cat made a grand sweeping gesture with her free arm, somehow managing not to jostle her glass one bit.  “And look at how you’ve grown since then.  Earth’s preeminent hero, cohabitating with National City’s previously most eligible in the closet lesbian—with a Romeo and Juliet twist to spice it up—and you’re really finding your legs as a reporter on top of all that.”  Cat sighed, as if scolding herself for continuing to be so open.  “I realize that this is all quite out of character for me, but I hope you’re also aware that Supergirl’s secret identity would be the biggest scoop of my long, illustrious career.  You know, just in case you ever think about crossing me.”  She raised an eyebrow to emphasize the playful threat.  “I’m proud of you, Supergirl.”

Kara felt the tears in her eyes immediately.  “Ms. Gr— ** _Cat_** —you’re not allowed to make me cry, that’s not fair.”  She wiped her eyes.  “But thank you.  I wouldn’t be here without you.”

“Fair point,” Cat snarked.  “So … what’s the word on this Reign person?  Have you got another story for me?  I promise I’ll share the byline with Kara Danvers this time.”  A ridiculous thought passed through her mind.  _A good story?  Like Supergirl dating Lena Luthor and her best friend CFO?_   As effusive as Cat was being right now, Kara didn’t have any idea how she would react to that particular news.  The best she could offer was an updated profile on Reign.

“I do actually have more information on Reign, and I’m willing to work on it with you if you think there’s a story there.”  Cat nodded for her to go on.  “She is … of Krypton, but not exactly Kryptonian.  She’s basically a Kryptonian superweapon created by a fanatical religious cult as the pinnacle of Kryptonian evolution, meant to be a god who would purge the universe of so-called injustice. … By murdering bad people, I guess.”

Cat frowned and blinked her eyes rapidly, processing that information.  “Well.  As **_disturbing_** as that all sounds, I don’t think the readers are going to particularly care about Reign’s back story.  I suppose if you wanted to write something on the ethics of her whole schtick, means vs ends, punishment vs rehabilitation, something along those lines … there **_might_** be something there.  But nothing that interests me.”  Kara was hardly surprised.  Cat rarely wanted to jump in on anything but the particularly sensational stuff.

“However, I do have a suggestion for your **_other_** job.”  Cat’s contemplative tone piqued Kara’s interest.  “You say she’s targeting the worst in society, more or less, correct?  Murderers, rapists, gang members … I’m just thinking aloud here, but if you need a little extra firepower next time you take her on, there might be a few superpowered baddies who might be willing to join you if it means avoiding having their faces melted off by a Kryptonian god of death or whatever.”  Kara groaned, seeing where Cat was going with this.  “I hear Leslie managed to escape prison.  Don’t suppose you might know where she’s hiding out, do you Supergirl?”

“Seriously?  How many times has she tried to kill you?” Cat started to respond as if she didn’t realize the question was rhetorical, but Kara cut her off.  It was amazing how much bolder she was with her mentor now that everything was out in the open.  “Nope.  No.  My point is … she’s deranged and violent, and the only person she hates almost as much as you is me.  Even if I did trust her to help me in this fight, what makes you think she would ever work with me?”

“I believe I already explained this, **_Kara_**.  She’ll work with you because it increases her chances of not being brutally murdered.  If I had to guess, I’d say she’s laying low right now, but I hired Leslie almost solely based on how brash she is.  Give her one of your stirring Supergirl speeches and point her in the right direction at the right time.  When have I ever steered you wrong?”  Kara couldn’t really argue with that last point.

“I’ll think about it.  We’re still considering a variety of options, plus Reign's been laying low for a couple of days.” 

Cat shrugged.  “What do I care?  It’s just the fate of the world we’re talking about here.”  Kara shook her head in exasperation.  “Just let me know if I can help.  And Kara …”  Cat had started to walk back into her office, signaling an end to their little chat, but she turned long enough to ask, sardonically, “What’s a girl gotta do to get a dinner invite to the Danvers-Luthor penthouse?”  She winked ( ** _winked?!_** ), then walked inside without another word.


	24. Girlfriends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some fluff between Kara and her girlfriends.

** Chapter 24 **

“I forgot to mention this because you distracted me earlier with your cleavage, but this wine is excellent.  Did Lena discover a new brand she likes?”  Sam smiled mischievously at the earlier incident.  Kara swore she didn’t do it intentionally, but Sam wasn’t buying it.  Kara Danvers didn’t just spread her arms wide along the edge of a table, lean forward slowly, and ask “How is it?”  Not to mention her voice didn’t sound that husky normally, and she rarely wore the sort of top that would’ve given Sam such an enticing view.  Needless to say, the wine had been forgotten until now.

As Sam walked back to the bed, glasses and wine bottle in hand, she smiled softly at the slight wobble in her gait.  It had been a fun couple of hours.  Sam stopped and set the wine down on the nightstand, then stepped back to admire the picture of beauty before her.  Kara had thrown on a loose sweatshirt (and nothing else) after they had dried off from the shower.  That had led to round three, and Kara was still wrapped up in the only remaining sheet on the bed, right where Sam had left her.  Her exposed shoulder almost glowed in the cool moonlight, which also had the wonderful effect of perfectly illuminating the curve of Kara’s hip under the sheet.  Then she made a pouty face, and Sam nearly fainted on the spot.

“Saaaaaaaaam, I know the wine is good, and I’m really hot and stuff, but I need you to come cuddle me right nowwwwww.”  She briefly considered doing another lap around the bed, to appreciate Kara from all angles and make her wait a bit longer, but she supposed she had teased Kara enough for one night already.  Setting her glass down beside the bottle, she leapt into bed.  Kara’s hair was still damp and smelling of fresh shampoo as Sam kissed her forehead.

“I get up for one minute to grab the wine, and you already missed me?”  Maybe Sam wasn’t quite done teasing her for the night.  Kara nuzzled her head into Sam’s chest.  The shirt she had given Sam to wear was insanely soft, and Kara’s nose felt so nice.  Comforting.

“And what if I did?”  Kara moved even closer and looked up innocently from Sam’s chest.  Sam couldn’t keep the damn smile off her face.  _Fuck me, she is so adorable._   She gently traced the outline of Kara’s jaw.

“That wouldn’t be so bad, I suppose.”  Sam leaned down and kissed her softly.  As she pulled away, Kara had a curious look on her face.  “What is it, babe?”

“Hmmm?”  Kara’s eyes snapped back up to Sam’s.  “Oh!  I was just thinking … am I allowed to talk about our sex life with Lena?”

“Oh, you precious dummy.”  Sam knew Kara would be annoyed, but she couldn’t stop the laughter from coming out.  Kara immediately huffed, and her face scrunched up.  Sam’s smile grew wider.  “Kara, you really need a better frustrated face.  Yours is too adorable, and I can’t take you seriously.”

Kara’s eyes narrowed even further.  “You!  I!  …. Grrrrrr, Sam that’s not fair.”  She exhaled loudly.  “I don’t know!  You’re the poly expert—why is it so crazy that I would ask you that?”

Sam shrugged.  “You’ve got me there.  Look, as far as I’m concerned, unless I specifically ask you to keep something between us, you can talk about anything you want with Lena.  Including all the incredible sex we have together.”  Kara blushed wildly.  “But … I’m **_pretty_** sure Lena remembers most of my moves, and I’d be pretty shocked if you were to tell me you two haven’t tried that whole floating thing that was so amazing.”  She grinned wickedly as she spoke, and Kara literally fell over, groaning in mortification.

“Kara Danvers, you **_are_** not uncomfortable talking about sex.”  Kara peaked up at her from her face down position on the bed.

“Not normally!  It’s just the effect you have on me!  But … that floating thing was pretty great, right?”  Kara bit her lip.

“Babe, seriously, you rocked my world with that move.  Dating a superhero **_definitely_** has its advantages.”  Sam leaned back into a seated position on the pillows against the headboard and picked up her glass of wine.  “Now, stop flailing and come cuddle me.”  Kara was curled up under Sam’s arm, leg wrapped across her thighs, before Sam could blink.  She chuckled.  “I wonder when I’ll start to get used to that.”

“It took Lena about a month, I think… but no pressure.”  Kara’s tone was jovial, but Sam didn’t like the way the comment made her feel.

“See, now, that is something that is generally not a good idea.  Even though you were joking.”  Those bright baby blues looked up at her curiously.  “Competition isn’t healthy for any of us, okay?  I know that’s not what you were going for, but just … be careful, Kara.”

“I get it.  And I’m sorry.  I’ll pay more attention to how I phrase things in the future.  I know this isn’t a competition—I’ve got more than enough love to go around.”  Kara occupied her hand by tracing soft patterns across Sam’s abs.  It almost tickled, but not enough that she wanted Kara to stop.  “So, umm … I talked to Lena about the possibility of a sleepover at your place.”

“Uh huh.  And she was every bit as understanding and encouraging as we both knew she would be?”  Kara’s hand movements had become jerkier since she mentioned sleepovers.  Sam still didn’t understand why Kara was so nervous about this.  Lena’s a big girl; she can handle sleeping alone once a week or so.

Kara sighed.  “Yes.  She was.  She was wonderful and awesome and really excited for us, and basically told me to shut the hell up and stop feeling guilty about something that should be a happy thing.”

“You know, your girlfriend is pretty damn smart.  Also great with the advice.  Maybe you should listen to her.”  Kara rolled her eyes, but her hand movements had relaxed.

“I know… it’s just.  It’s a lot of change.  Really fast.  And … I guess my brain is just playing catch up a little, you know?”  Sam sat her wine back down, then took Kara’s hand into her own.  Their eyes met.

“Kara, it’s okay.  As amazing as it will be to wake up with your astonishingly strong and soft limbs draped all over me and to get up and make you the most **_delicious_** breakfast of your life … I promise you, we don’t have to rush into anything.  But I also think you should trust Lena and trust yourself.”  Sam pulled Kara’s hand up to her lips.

“Thank you for being so patient with me.  I know that this whole poly thing has gone pretty smoothly for us, but it’s been an adjustment.  And you’ve been right there supporting me the whole way, even though your life has been pretty crazy that whole time.”  Kara stretched up and kissed Sam passionately.  A wave of warmth and affection flooded Sam’s chest and arm.  Kara pulled away a few inches and asked, “You have any advice for how to get over my anxiety about this, my very wise girlfriend?”

“If this is really a thing for you, we can wait.  I mean … we can keep dating, keeping getting comfortable with the arrangement, but hell, things are pretty far along already.  And we’ve figured it out, all three of us.  You and I, we’ve already been through you almost dying, saying ‘I love you,’ sex for the first time, telling my daughter… even meeting your adopted mom, kinda.”  Sam squeezed Kara’s hand reassuringly.  “Honestly, baby, I think you’ve just gotta take a leap of faith.  And trust that we’ll all work through any complications just like we have so far.”

“And if that first night alone is too hard for Lena?”  Sam loved how much Kara loved Lena.  She couldn’t have imagined a better partner for her best friend.  _Shit!  I should tell her that!_

“Hey.”  Sam pulled her arm out from behind Kara and then wriggled down until they were face to face.  Sam nuzzled her nose against Kara’s.  “I **_love_** how much you love her.”  She kissed Kara on the forehead, then on the tip of her nose, then on the lips.  “But I promise you, you’re worrying too much.  Lena wants this for us, and she’s going to be fine.  But if it helps, you can call her before bed.  Tell her you love her and tell her goodnight.  Whatever you want.  And then you can call her again first thing in the morning.”  Kara smiled sheepishly, and Sam could tell she was getting through to her.  “I know Lena.  **_You_** know Lena.  We know that she will tell you if she has any trouble being apart from you for a night.  Hell, she’ll tell me too.  We’ll talk about it.”  She kissed Kara’s left cheek.  “It.”  Right cheek.  “Will.”  Right temple.  “Be.”  Forehead.  “Fine.”  Left temple. 

Kara started giggling after the right cheek, but she made no effort to stop Sam.  They kissed each other again.  Sam slipped her just a little bit of tongue, drawing a hiss of surprise and arousal from Kara.  They stared into each other’s eyes, and Kara smiled widely.  “I love you.”

“Love you too, Kara.”

\-----------------------

With the wind in her hair and Kara’s powerful arms holding her tight, Lena almost felt as if she could leave all of her worries back on the ground.  No Reign or Cadmus.  No board meetings.  No lingering questions or doubts about trusted friends.  Just Lena and Kara and the gorgeous oranges and pinks of this brilliant West Coast sunset.

Kara had surprised her in her office a few minutes ago and insisted on stealing her away.  She wouldn’t tell her where they were going, but Lena had to admit—it already felt incredibly romantic.  Kara had even swept her off her feet.  Now, as Kara began her descent towards the roof of a building on the west side of downtown, Lena saw what she had in mind.

Towards the western side of the roof, Kara had set up a small, two-person table.  It was decorated with a white and red checkered tablecloth like a quaint Italian restaurant.  Two red chairs awaited them, along with a bottle of wine and two glasses.  Three large candles stood at the center of the table, and at least twenty more formed a sort of loose ring a few feet back from the table.  For after the sun went down, Lena assumed.

Kara set her down next to one of the chairs.  “Pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy this view.  I’ll be right back with dinner.”  Kara grinned, kissed Lena, and then was off again.  Lena could’ve sworn that the bottle was unopened when Kara set her down, but now the cork rested neatly on the table beside it.  She grinned as she poured herself a full glass, then walked towards the edge of the building.  The view really was gorgeous.  There were no other large skyscrapers obstructing the view of the rest of the city, stretching out all the way to the Pacific Ocean.  She pondered the recent events in her life as she enjoyed the wine and gazed out at the edge of the North American continent.

Fortunately, Kara was back with bags and bags of food in under five minutes, banishing any further thoughts of Lillian Luthor from Lena’s mind.  She moved at superspeed, and there were five Italian dishes plus two salads on the table before Lena had walked all the way back.  Kara started to walk around the table to embrace Lena, then paused.  “Oh wait!” 

She blurred out of view again and returned in seconds.  Her Supergirl outfit had been replace by a tight-fitting sheath dress with a halter neckline, a slim keyhole in the front, and an open back.  The dress was a royal blue that almost perfectly matched Kara’s eyes, but it was flecked with white and a light green.  Her elaborate Supergirl curls were suddenly up in an adorable but simple updo behind her head, revealing the dangly silver earrings she was wearing.  Her green heels matched the flecks in her dress.  If Lena didn’t know any better, she would’ve guessed Kara had gone shopping with Cat Grant. 

“That’s better,” Kara teased, wrapping her arms around Lena’s waist and pulling her into a deep kiss.

“Careful, darling, right now I’m more interested in eating you than all that delicious food you brought us.”  Kara laughed, then faked a scowl. 

“Ms. Luthor, who do you take me for?!  You’ll have to take me on a proper date if you want to see what’s under this dress.”  Lena waggled her eyebrows at Kara, pretty sure she could have that dress off of her right now if she **_really_** wanted to.  Keeping a hand on the small of Lena’s back, Kara led her to the table and pulled out a chair for her.  _My girlfriend, ever the gentleman._   As she sat, Kara quickly lit all the candles around them.  The sun wasn’t completely gone over the horizon, but the sunlight had dimmed enough that the lit candles really added to the ambiance of the date. 

“My, my, Ms. Danvers, you are full of surprises,” Lena joked, before getting more serious.  “Kara, this is all so lovely.”

“I knew you’d like it.”  Kara practically glowed.  “It’s been crazy lately, and we haven’t really had much time for romance since we left Midvale.  It was long past time I whisked you away from everything for some alone time.  This is probably my favourite view of the city.  Perfect for a date with my fancy Luthor girlfriend.”  Kara winked at her.

“You’re not usually so saucy, love.  Let me just say that I love it.” 

“Good.  Now, to the important stuff.  I got plenty of food for myself, but you’re welcome to any single dish you want or you can pick at all five before I polish them off.”

“Believe me, darling, I’ve learned the drill by now.”  Lena started with the salad.  “Well, I’d like tonight to be wonderful, so let’s avoid the topics of conversation swirling around in my head before you brought the food.  Why don’t you tell me some more stories about your early days as Supergirl, before I came to town?”

A shadow passed over Kara’s face.  “No no no, darling.  Sorry!  We’ve discussed what happened with your aunt plenty, no need to go back there.  Just … tell me about some of your random adventures, you know?  Like who is the weirdest villain you fought in your first year as Supergirl?”

“Pssh.  Take your pic: a weird mirror clone of myself or Winn’s creepy toy-obsessed dad?”  Kara mumbled the words out through multiple bites of food, but Lena was more than fluent in Kara-speak at this point. 

“Well, I’ve already heard stories about the Toyman straight from Winn, so let’s go with the clone.” 

“Cat named her Bizarro, though she never really explained why.  Weird name, right?”  _No weirder than Supergirl, to be honest._   “Anyway.  Maxwell Lord experimented on and murdered six innocent girls before he got what he wanted out of the seventh.  He got his hands on a strand of my hair and used my DNA to modify this poor girl.  Brainwashed her too, nearly lobotomized her.  At first, she looked identical to me, but her powers were the reverse of mine.”

“So she breathed fire?!”  That must have been quite the sight.  Suddenly the scientist in Lena came out.  “Did you use your freeze breath against her fire breath?  What happened?!”

Kara giggled.  “If you’re thinking a tiny storm broke out where our breath met, then I’m sorry to disappoint.  No such luck.  There was, like, a little cloud, I guess?” 

“You’re aware how erotic that sounded, right?”  Lena focused her voice as if reading from the pages of a romance novel.  “And then, it was like a tiny storm arose in that warm place where our breath met, and I could feel that spark travel all the way down my body.”  Kara’s eyes widened, maybe as wide as Lena had ever seen them.  Then she choked on her food as her face burned red.  “You alright there, love?”

Kara cleared her throat.  “Lena, we’ve talked about this.  You can’t startle me with sexy stuff while I’m eating!”

“Hey, you said it, not me.”  Lena flashed her most innocent smile.

“Oh please, **_you_** twisted what I said and then used your sexy voice!”  Kara’s nostrils flared as she protested vehemently.

“Kara Zor-El, my voice is **_always_** sexy, as you well know.”  Kara rolled her eyes but was also smiling too brightly to really pull off the exasperated act.

“ ** _Anyway_** … we tried kryptonite on her, but it didn’t phase her.  It just … I don’t know, it corrupted her or something?  Her skin turned white, like a greyish white, and it got all dry and cracked.  And her eyes turned black, and she got even angrier and more out of control than she already was.”

“So how did you stop her?”  Lena was legitimately curious, because this Bizarro sounded almost more terrifying than Reign.  Reign was a murderer, but at least she was mentally stable.

“J’onn had the idea to reverse the ionic charge in kryptonite.  It created a sort of blue synthetic kryptonite, and Alex was able to take her down with a laser gun powered by the stuff.”  A spark of an idea blossomed into Lena’s mind, and she pulled out her phone to make a note of it, so she wouldn’t forget later.

“What happened to her?”  Lena hoped they had saved the poor girl. 

“We cryogenically froze her until Alex could develop a way to correct her DNA, restore her humanity.  I check in on her every now and again.  She couldn’t remember her previous life, but she has a very good therapist and has made some real progress.  She goes by Lizzie now.”  There was a sadness to Kara’s voice, and Lena could hardly imagine how Kara must have empathized with this girl.

“And Max Lord just got away with murder and human experimentation?  At least you chased him out of town.”  Lord was far too much like Lex for Lena’s taste, what with his anti-alien crusade and mad scientist tech.  Plus, he was exactly the sort of smarmy jackass that made Lena want to pull her hair out.

“I **_didn’t_** chase him out of town.  But no, we never had any evidence of his crimes.  He was thorough in cleaning up his mess.  We held him without due process in the DEO for a while, but we all ultimately decided that that’s not who we are.  In the end, J’onn wiped his mind of any knowledge about the DEO or Supergirl’s identity and planted the idea in his head that he desperately wanted to move his company to Gotham.”

“Ooo, smart move.  I hear that bat vigilante likes to really rough up his villains.  Maybe he and Lord will get into it eventually.”  Kara chuckled, but it was clear that Lord was a rough subject for her, so Lena jumped to the next story.  “What’s the biggest crisis you’ve averted that I haven’t already heard about.”

“Did I tell you that I stopped a nuclear missile once?”

“I’m sorry, what now?  I could’ve sworn you just said nuclear missile.”

“Yes.  Lena, it was terrifying.  The ICBM nearly got to the city.  I stopped it just in time.”  Lena could see behind Kara’s eyes the remnants of the terror she felt that day burning faintly like the embers of an old fire.

“Who launched it?  How did you stop it?”

”Indigo.”  The contempt in Kara’s voice was palpable.  “I told you about her involvement with Non, but I never told you about when she first showed up on Earth.  She was a prisoner in Fort Rozz but didn’t show herself until right after Astra died.  She pretended to be a human computer hacker at first, until she popped out of Winn’s computer in her true form and tried to murder us in the loft.”

“Wait, what?  You said she’s Coluan like Kaziah, right?”

“She is **_nothing_** like Kaziah,” Kara spat.  “But yes, she was Coluan.”

“Okay well that’s weird to me, then.  They all have different power sets?  Because Kaziah definitely can’t travel over the internet, and as far as I know, she can’t shapeshift.”  Lena’s natural curiosity piqued again.

“Well, I’m pretty sure Indigo couldn’t shapeshift, though she could stretch her body.  I think the human appearance was just a computer avatar.  But yeah, I guess they are different.  I don’t know a lot about Coluans, except that a few of them agreed to act as supercomputers for Kryptonian society.  I suppose different Coluans have different sorts of synthetic-biological anatomy and programming.  I mean … they certainly look very different.  And one of them is sweet and helpful while the other was a genocidal maniac.” 

While Kara was talking, Lena took several more bites of the shrimp pasta dish, before Kara could finish it off.  Lena would ask Kaziah more later, but she wanted to hear more about Kara stopping the ICBM.  “So, how did attempted murder in your living room turn into a nuclear attack?”

“She slipped into a nuclear facility maybe a hundred miles from National City through a general’s cell phone.  I tried to stop her, but during the fight, she subdued me long enough to launch the missile.  I tore off after it, but I had no clue how to stop it.  I tried pushing it off course, but it corrected itself.  I had the dumb idea to use my heat vision, but fortunately James vetoed that suggestion.”

“You were communicating with James while chasing down an ICBM?”  Lena was legitimately shocked.  She knew that Kara and James had been closer in the early days, had almost dated, but it was still so weird to imagine them working together on Supergirl stuff, given how shallow their relationship had been since Kara and Lena started dating.

“Yeah, he was kind of the only member of Team Supergirl at the time.  Winn was still sore about me rejecting him, and I refused to work with the DEO because I was pissed at J’onn.”  _When she thought he killed Astra._   “But I had to give in and call the DEO to help solve the problem.  I’m stubborn, but not so stubborn that I would endanger the city.  J’onn was able to give me the kill code for the ICBM, and I got into the missile’s on-board computer and entered the code just in time for it to drop harmlessly into the ocean.”

“Kara.  How is it that a nuclear missile was within seconds of demolishing National City and this is the first I’m hearing of it?” 

“The DEO worked with the government to cover it up.  They claimed the bright light people saw over the city was just a rocket shot out into space to take supplies to the international space station.”  Lena scoffed.  That was a shit excuse.  Didn’t even make sense.  Lena was amazed by what the average person would believe.

They had finished dinner by now, so Kara got up and gestured for Lena to follow her.  She took a seat on the ledge of the building, and Lena sat down next to her, bringing the wine with her.  She trusted that Kara wouldn’t let anything happen to her, and the wind wasn’t bad at all.  She leaned her weight against Kara’s side, and they both gazed out at the horizon as they continued their conversation.

“Do have a nemesis?  Superheroes have nemeses, right?  I mean your cousin certainly had Lex.”   Kara stiffened. 

“Either Lex or Zod, I guess.  As for me, I can’t really claim Lillian, because she’s **_your_** nemesis.  So the only obvious candidate is Livewire.”

“That’s the meta that escaped from prison last year, right?  After we had started casually hanging out at your place on the regular?”  Lena glanced over to see that her own smile was mirrored on Kara’s face.  It felt like a lifetime ago that they were both still so insecure that they didn’t trust each other with almost anything.  But couldn’t help themselves from acting on their overwhelming attraction to each other.

“Yeah.  Though technically, she was broken out of prison against her will.”

“Well, we’ve all been there,” Lena joked.  Kara snorted a short laugh out in response.

“That was actually the third time I’ve faced her.  She was the first really personal foe that I faced off against as Supergirl, only about a month after I revealed myself to the world.  I also … kind of created her.”  Kara’s brow furrowed.  She clearly didn’t like Livewire, but Lena could also see that she carried some guilt there too.

“How so?”

“Well, she used to be just a normal, completely insufferable jerkface.  Leslie Willis was a shock jock that Cat had mentored for years.  Around Thanksgiving, she suddenly decided to create a vendetta against Supergirl.  She criticized me for being a girl scout and took a lot of potshots about my sexuality, or lack thereof.”  Lena’s eyes widened.

“What?!  But Supergirl is so incredibly sexy, how could she even…”  Leslie Willis clearly had some serious taste issues.

“She wasn’t entirely wrong—she did say I gave off something of a ‘sapphic’ vibe.  I actually kind of think she’d be impressed if I told her I’m dating two powerful female executives.”  Lena was grinning mischievously, and Kara promptly chided, “She also suggested I have tentacles for genitals, so wipe that look off your face.”

Lena’s mind briefly flashed to that one erotic story that had so captivated her a few months ago, but she gave away no reaction on her face.  “So how did she go from asshole to arch villain?”

“After she went after Supergirl, Cat demoted her to weather reporter.  She was in the CatCo copter during a thunderstorm, and they got struck by lightning.  I caught the helicopter, but then I got struck with lightning too, and it sort of transferred energy from me into Leslie somehow.  We still don’t really understand the science of it.  But when she woke up from a short coma, she was suddenly made of living electricity.  Or something like that.” 

Lena poured herself another glass of wine, polishing off the bottle.  “At first, the only thing she cared about was killing Cat.  Supergirl stopped her several times, and now she hates me every bit as much as Cat.  Maybe more.  As far as nemeses go, she’s awful.  The complete opposite of me.  Snarky, angry, completely irreverent.  Not to mention amoral.  She doesn’t care about anyone or anything but herself.”  An embarrassed look crossed Kara’s face, but Lena allowed her to pretend that she hadn’t noticed Kara grip the other side of the ledge two hard and crumble a piece of the concrete in her hand.  “Later, right before all the Myriad stuff, another metahuman Siobhan Smythe, helped her escape from DEO custody.”

Kara made a face somewhere between grumpy and mocking, drawing Lena’s attention.  “There’s another story there!  Spill it.”

“Siobhan was a nemesis of a different sort.  James wasn’t the only guy I almost dated but then didn’t.  I also had half a date with Cat’s formerly estranged adult son Adam, just after I managed to get her to rekindle her relationship with him.  That’s when Bizarro happened, and I called it off.  Cat was pissed, so she hired a second assistant to punish me.”

“Siobhan Smythe.  Which is an **_excellent_** name, by the way.  I had a brief fling with a Siobhan while I was studying abroad.”  Lena bit her lip subconsciously, and Kara raised an eyebrow at her.

“Yes, well.  This Siobhan was a backstabbing, selfish mean girl.  Who also dated Winn briefly, before she developed shouting powers and tried to murder Kara Danvers.”

“Christ, your life was a soap opera even before I came to town.”  She could tell Kara wanted to protest but knew she couldn’t.  “I can’t help myself, darling.  I have to ask.  Is there a member of the Grant family you haven’t had a crush on at some point?” 

Kara’s face did that adorable scrunchy thing that indicated she was flustered and irritated at the same time.  “I did not!  Ugh.  Fine.  Whatever.  But technically his last name is Foster.”  She elbowed Lena playfully in the ribs.  “Back to Livewire.  She and Siobhan teamed up to go after Cat and me.  Though Leslie was after Supergirl, and Siobhan was after Kara.  Fortunately, Barry was in town.”

“ ** _The_** Barry Allen?!  He was in our dimension for once?”  Lena still teased Kara about disappearing after Lena got Lillian arrested and then making up a shitty excuse to cover up for it.

Kara chose to ignore the insinuation, too excited to share her adventure with Barry.  “Yeah!  That was actually when we first met.  He accidentally breached into our universe and kinda got stuck here.  But the timing was fortunate, because he really helped me out with Livewire and Siobhan.”

“Why didn’t she go back to the DEO?  Why risk putting someone with those kind of powers into a prison ill-equipped to contain her?” 

“Barry helped outfit National City’s maximum security prison with countermeasures to keep metahumans’ powers under control.  They’ve had mixed results, and since then we’ve developed new policies at the DEO.  Aliens and metahumans who can’t be trusted in a regular prison are still kept prisoner at the DEO, but we’ve established a sort of military tribunal to give them their due process.  Livewire’s guilty of multiple counts of attempted murder, so she’s serving a life sentence now.”

Lena finished off the rest of her wine, then traced the contours of Kara’s body under that exquisite dress.  She wasn’t going to be able to resist the temptation much longer.  Then Kara turned suddenly, a smile back on her face.

“Oh!  I almost forgot!  We need to invite Cat over for dinner at the penthouse soon, or she’s going to get cranky with me.”  Cat Grant in her home was not something Lena had ever expected to endure, but she’d do anything for Kara. 

“Fine, but you had better be right about her being better in private than she seems in public.  How did you get from Livewire’s life sentence to ‘we should invite Cat over?’”

“Oh, I was just talking to her the other day—that’s when she subtly hinted at wanting an invite—and she suggested that maybe I should try to work out a deal with Leslie to get her help against Reign.”  Lena leaned back in surprise.  Based on what Kara had just told her, Livewire didn’t sound like someone she would feel at all comfortable being out in the world.  How could they ensure that she wouldn’t be a bigger threat to Kara than to Reign?

“Not to question the Queen of All Media, but that sounds like a fucking stupid idea.  I don’t want you to put yourself in any more danger than you’re already in.”  Kara wilted a little under the strength of Lena’s concerned gaze.

“I’m not thrilled about the idea either, but I haven’t thought of anything better yet either.  But Reign conversations are off the table for tonight.”  Kara grabbed Lena’s hand and placed it on the inside of her thigh, just below where the hem of her dress ended.  “Don’t think I haven’t seen the way you’ve been looking at me all night.  What are you going to do about it?”

Part of Lena wanted to argue some more about Cat’s Livewire suggestion, but Kara’s thigh was so warm and inviting.  Her hand began slowly inching its way upward, completely of its own accord.  Lena gave into her urges, leaned in, and bit Kara’s jaw, just below her ear.  As her hand slipped under Kara’s dress, she pushed in closer so that her lips brushed Kara’s ear.  “Take me home Supergirl, or I’ll undress you right here on this roof.”


	25. The Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara begins putting a plan in place to take down Reign. Superman comes to provide backup, but is something of an ass.

** Chapter 25 **

Kara could hear the bickering long before she reached the correct cellblock.

“Nice tiara,” Leslie sneered.

The voice that answered her was controlled and husky, with an overly proper tone and enunciation.  “Let’s have a guard remove it, and I’ll show you what I can do.  It would be such a delicious **_pleasure_** to bring you to your knees and **_writhe_** in pain.”  _Holy wow sexual tension._

Livewire laughed wildly.  “Do you always have to talk like that?”

“At least I don’t sound like an illiterate mean girl.”  Gayle Marsh hit the final ‘t’ of ‘illiterate’ with force. 

“Yeah **_okay_** , Regina George.”  As Supergirl came to a halt in the hallway directly between their cells, she could see Psi glaring daggers at Livewire.  The tall, thin woman somehow managed to still look imposing in the simple black prisoner’s uniform of the DEO.  The so-called tiara Livewire was mocking was a thin black metal band that set on Psi’s head, the edges of it disappearing into her thick blonde hair.  It was a neural dampener to keep the psychic from using her fear-based powers.  Kara legitimately could not tell whether Psi wanted to kill Leslie or screw her.   

Supergirl couldn’t resist the obvious taunt.  “You know, if you two ask nicely, I might see about setting up a private room for a conjugal visit.” 

Leslie rolled her eyes, while Gayle merely shifted her glare up to Supergirl and muttered, “Boo,” sardonically.

“Hey there, barbie girl.  You come here just to make jokes?”  Supergirl breathed in, then out.  She came here to negotiate, so she knew she was going to have to resist Livewire’s verbal jabs.  She faced Leslie, arms crossed, holding her whole body tight so she could better control her reactions.

“Actually, I have a proposition for you.”  Supergirl looked to the side and gritted her teeth.  “I’m here because I could use your help.”

Livewire’s mouth fell open.  “My **_help_**?  I **_loathe_** you.”  She practically growled the word ‘loathe.’ 

“Look, I know that you’re allowed to watch the news and keep up with what’s going on in the world.  I know you know about Reign.” 

“I know enough to know that she gave you the ass kicking you so richly deserve, Blondie.  I’m surprised you can still walk straight after that.  How’s it feel to know you’re not the baddest bitch around anymore?”  Supergirl didn’t take the bait, didn’t even flinch.  Leslie’s taunting couldn’t hide the thin layer of fear underlying her words.  She understood more than she was letting on.

“She’s murdering criminals in National City.  Like you.  How long do you think it is before she figures out that the DEO is housing some of the most dangerous criminals around?  Help me stop her, before she comes for you too.”

Livewire stood and paced towards the transparent cell wall separating her from Supergirl.  “She beat the shit out of you.  Far as I can tell nearly killed you.  If you think I’m up for a beat down like that just cuz ya said ‘pretty please,’ honey, you haven’t been reading my psych evals correctly.”

Kara knew she had to push.  “I’m not asking you to fight her alone.  I have a plan.  And we won’t be alone in this.  I learned my lesson the first time.  It’s going to take a powerful team to bring her down.”  Livewire flipped her off and turned away.

“At least hear me out.  And there could be something in it for you.  I **_have_** read your psych evals, and I know that you’re making progress.  Sure, you’ll never be an upstanding member of society, but I know you’ve been working out your anger issues.  If you help me with this—and don’t screw us over in the process—we can talk about reducing your sentence, allowing you a bit more freedom, and maybe even early parole someday.”  Livewire had taken her seat, but Supergirl had her attention.

“Fine.  But I make no promises.  Tell me your fuckin’ plan.  And it better not involve those two incompetent men who tried to ‘save’ me last year.”  Supergirl couldn’t keep the grimace off her face.  She could definitely promise Leslie that wouldn’t have to worry about Mon-El or the Guardian bungling this mission. 

“Deal.”  She fixed Livewire with her firmest Supergirl stare.  “But first, there’s one major condition.  You have to swear your word to me, and if I don’t believe you 100 percent, I can’t use you for this.  You’ll rot in this cell till you die, Leslie.”

“I **_hate_** it when you call me that!”

“Fine!  **_Livewire_**.  My plan revolves in part around Cat Grant, and you have to swear to me that you will not kill her.”

“Cat Lady’s back in town?  Why didn’t anyone tell me?  I would’ve sent her a card.”  Livewire looked at her nails theatrically, as if pondering a difficult quandary.  “So … you’re telling me that you’ll protect me from Reign, give me early parole, and all I have to do is not kill the Queen Bitch of National City?  Can I at least fry her a little?  Just make her whimper?”

Supergirl considered her response but was distracted by the creepy sing song voice coming from behind her.  “"Sing a song of sixpence.  A pocketful of rye.”  Supergirl turned to face Psi and nearly jumped as she found her unexpectedly standing right in front of the glass.  “Four and twenty naughty boys baked into a pie.”  Her face was completely blank as she chanted.

“The fuck is she going on about?”  Livewire didn’t sound too concerned.

“The maid was in the garden, hanging up the clothes.  When lowly came a blackbird and pecked off her nose.”  Suddenly Psi’s face jerked in Supergirl’s direction, and they looked eyes.  “Give me that deal.  I will help you defeat this Reign.”

Supergirl’s eyes narrowed, and she took a step back.  Psi was always so unnerving.  “Uhh, thanks but no thanks.  I need Les— ** _Livewire_**.  I don’t think scaring Reign is how we’re going to beat her.”  Psi’s face shifted to a look of disdain, and she rolled her eyes dismissively before walking back to the small bed in her cell.  Supergirl faced Livewire again and raised her eyebrows.

“If there’s a single person in the world I **_hate_** more than you, it is Cat fucking Grant.  But killing her ain’t worth dying for.  Or staying in this shitty black site prison for the rest of my life.  I can’t promise to be nice to her, but you have my word, I won’t kill your precious ‘Ms. Grant.’”  Livewire lifted her voice an octave as she said ‘Ms. Grant’ in a gratingly mocking impersonation of Supergirl’s own voice.  “Now tell me your plan.”

~~~~

As Kara walked out of the DEO’s primary West Coast prison, hidden away in the old desert base just outside National City, J’onn confronted her.  “Agent Thompson informed me that we had an unexpected visitor arrive to see Livewire.  I take it this means you’re going forward with the plan?”

Kara nodded, sensing a Space Dad speech coming her way.  “I know you’re inclined to give people the benefit of the doubt.  I don’t disagree that some people deserve second chances.  But you, of all people, know how dangerous Livewire is.”

“I know, I know.  But we don’t have a better plan.  We’ve been talking ourselves in circles, and the longer we wait, the higher Reign’s body count rises.  And this was Ms. Grant’s plan, in a sense.  I wouldn’t put her in danger unnecessarily.”

“I trust you, and I will follow you if you think this is our best shot.  But I must confess, I am worried.”  It meant the world to Kara that J’onn put so much trust in her, even after she had already lost to Reign once.  She still had to clear the whole thing with Ms. Grant, though.

“I’m a little worried too, J’onn.  But If we're gonna win this thing, we have to take risks, and this feels like a risk worth taking.”  They had walked back to the main command center of the base during their conversation, and suddenly Kara felt overwhelmed by a wave of nostalgia.  She stopped J’onn, who faced her again.

“Okay, so I love the downtown base, and I have no desire to move back in here.  But we do have some good memories here, right?”

“And more than a few terrible ones.”  Kara thought back to J’onn being locked up in this base, and then he and Alex being taken away to be given over to Cadmus.  She shuddered involuntarily. 

“Good point.  Let’s get out of here.”

“Sure thing, Supergirl.”  J’onn shifted back to his normal Martian self, and the two of them took off together to head back to National City.  Once in the downtown center, she waved him off as he continued to the DEO but she broke off to drop down on Ms. Grant’s balcony at CatCo.  Cat was in the middle of a conversation with Snapper Carr, dressing him down for something in that subtle snarky way that Cat did.  Supergirl settled against the balcony and enjoyed the show.  She didn’t even bother listening in with her super hearing, because half of Cat’s performance came from her body language and facial expressions and Snapper barely said three words anyway.

After a few minutes, Snapper sulked away, but not without noticing Supergirl on the balcony.  She waved sarcastically at him, even though she was sure he had no clue that she was being sarcastic, since he didn’t know that she was Kara.  She was so busy sticking her tongue out at the back of his dumb bald head that Cat was able to make it out onto the balcony before she noticed the older woman’s presence.

“ ** _Very_** mature, Supergirl.”  Kara jumped a foot into the sky and just hung there, glaring at Cat.

“Don’t do that!”

“You’re the one that was so distracted by your childish antics that you didn’t notice the very loud clicking of my Jimmy Choos come up beside you.  Don’t you have super hearing?”  Kara set her feet back down on the balcony.

“Point taken.  He’s just such a jerk sometimes.”  Kara tried and failed to keep the petulance out of her voice.

“Of **_that_** , I am well aware.  He’s also an excellent journalist, and you’re learning a lot working with him.  So, toughen up, Kara Danvers.”  Cat shook her head dramatically.  “I assume you’re here for a reason other than making faces behind your boss’s back.  Because you really could’ve done that in the offices of the Tribune, in your normal work attire.”

Kara’s whole face contorted.  “I … he … ugh, Ms. Grant!”  She took a deep breath and got herself under control, suddenly embarrassed at having let her emotions get the better of her in front of her mentor.  “I **_did_** come here for a reason.  I took your advice.”

“Ohhh wonderful, you’re finally upgrading your work wardrobe?  I can set up a meeting with my personal shopper—”

“No!  Cat!  Not that advice!”  Cat’s body slumped in a theatrical show of disappointment.

“A pity.”

“I meant, I think I’m going to use Livewire to help with bringing down Reign.”

“Oh good.  But I’m never calling Leslie by that silly name.  If she’s going to insist on being Supergirl’s nemesis, she really should’ve let me name her rather than trying to do it herself.  **_So_** uninspired.”  Cat stopped and caught the look on Kara’s face.  “Hmm.  What **_aren’t_** you telling me, Supergirl?”

Kara sighed.  This was the part she had been nervous about all day.  She figured she could get Livewire to agree, and she was about 70 percent confident that that Supergirl would convince her not to hurt Ms. Grant.  But she had no idea how Cat would react to the plan.

“Soooo, let me just start by saying that I would never let anyone hurt you.  You know that by now, right?”

“ ** _Kara_**.”  Cat’s voice was low and commanding.  “Spit. It. Out.”

“I want to have Leslie pretend to escape and then come after you in order to draw out Reign!” Kara blurted. 

“Oh, is that all?”  Kara legitimately couldn’t tell if Cat was completely unfazed or if this was the driest of dark humour.

“Really?”

“Oh **_sure_**.  I think it’s a **_great_** idea to let a superpowered woman out of supermax alien prison to come **_pretend_** to attack me, especially given that her one driving goal in life over the past three years has been, you know, **_murdering_** the both of us.”  Cat’s eyes blazed at Kara.

“This was **_your_** idea!” Kara squeaked.

“I said you should use Leslie against Reign.  I did **_not_** suggest you turn her loose on me.  I’m quite sure you can see the difference.”

Kara put her hands on her hips.  She wouldn’t do this unless Cat was on board, but she wasn’t ready to give up on convincing her just yet either.  “I wouldn’t go through with this if I wasn’t **_sure_** I could protect you.  Livewire has been making progress.  Seeing a therapist.  Dealing with her anger issues.”  Cat’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, but she allowed Kara to continue.  “I made her swear that she wouldn’t kill you.  And I wouldn’t even consider using you as bait unless I believed her.  And I don’t believe **_that_** woman easily, as you of all people should know.”

Cat shrugged and nodded.  “I told her that if she helped us with this, she could have a little bit more freedom at the DEO meta prison and that we would consider reducing her sentence some, pending continued good behaviour.  She still won’t be getting out any time soon.  And I’ll be there, in wait.”

“So, how does Reign factor into this?”  That Cat was even asking the question was a good sign.

“The DEO weakened her in their last battle against her.  They couldn’t bring her in, and ever since, she’s gone back to the shadows.  Carrying out her war against crime in secret.  We need to draw her out again, and what better way than with a very public confrontation between a known powered criminal and the most famous person in National City?”

“See now I know that you’re trying to butter me up.  Not that I’m not the most famous person in National City, because let’s be clear, I **_am_**.  But I know for a fact that you don’t see it that way.  What with the whole, cohabitating with Lena Luthor thing.  Speaking of …”  She looked at Kara suggestively.

“ ** _Yes_** , Lena would love to have you over for dinner, sometimes soon, but do **_not_** change the subject right now.”  She slipped the Supergirl steel into her voice.  “Livewire will very publicly come after Cat Grant, and Reign won’t be able resist coming to punish Livewire.  When she arrives, she’ll be ambushed not only by Livewire, but by Supergirl, Superman, and the Martian Manhunter.”

“Oooo the big guns.  Sounds like you’re finally taking this threat seriously, Kara.  Good.  Your cousin isn’t bringing Lane with him, is he?”

“You’re going to have to let that go someday, Cat.  I know you think Kal has a nice butt or whatever, but you’re going to have to accept that they’re married.”

“I still think it’s weird that you call him Kal—”

“It’s his **_name_**!”

“It was his name for maybe two months of his life, Kara.  You’ve already explained this to me.  His name is Clark Kent.”

“Well _I_ don’t have to call him that.”

“Oh yes, because you’re a fancy Kryptonian with fancy Kryptonian names for everyone.”  Kara was 90 percent sure that Cat was messing with her, but that still hurt just a little.

“You said you liked my Kryptonian name.”

“Kara Zor-El is a beautiful name.  **_Kal El_** is **_not_**.”  Cat was definitely smirking now.

“Agree to disagree.  Are you on board with my plan?”

“Fine, fine.  Against my better judgment, I will babysit Leslie until your evil mirror shows up.  Just let me know when, and I’ll be sure it gets sufficient coverage to draw her out.”  As she spoke, Cat turned away and looked out over the city.  Kara knew this particularly strategy—she was trying to keep Kara from seeing her fear.

“Hey.”  Kara put her hand on Cat’s shoulder.  She stiffened briefly, then relaxed into Kara’s grip.  “I won’t let anything happen to you.  You’re not just my mentor; you’re my friend.  You’re one of the most important people in my life, even if you hate it when I am too expressive about my emotions.”  Cat didn’t turn but placed a hand over Kara’s.  “Tell me that you don’t want to take this risk, and I won’t.”

Now, Cat turned and caught Kara’s eyes with hers.  Her look was adamant.  “No.  This is the right thing to do.  The city needs us.  And I trust you, Supergirl.”  Cat stepped back from Kara’s touch.  “Plus, you have to keep me alive long enough to show off your pretty apartment and fancy girlfriend.  Or vice versa or whatever.”

“You’re damn right.”  Kara wrapped her up in a big hug.  “You’ve always been my hero, Ms. Grant.”  Cat reciprocated the warmth of Kara’s embrace for a good thirty seconds, then stepped back again.

“Obviously.  Now.  I have work to do.  You know where to find me when you’re ready.” 

~~~~

It only took a few more days to get the plan in place, and only because J’onn, Lena, and Alex insisted on having about fifty different contingency plans.  Kara appreciated how protective they were being, but it felt like overkill.  She wanted this over with.

“Is this Contingency Plan K or L?  I’ve lost track at this point.”  Alex glared at her, then turned back to J’onn. 

“As I was saying, I highly doubt the blue kryptonite we used on Bizarro will do anything, but it couldn’t hurt to try it.  I’m tired of half measures—we’re throwing everything we’ve got at her this time.  She’s not hurting Kara again.”

“Babe, I’m more worried about her hurting **_you_** again.  You’re the one whose bones are basically papier-mâché to her.”  Maggie’s tone was joking but her eyes were dead serious.  “Don’t get any ideas about going into the field if everything goes to shit.”

Before Alex could get off a retort, J’onn asked, “Supergirl, did Superman say when he would be arriving?”

“Well, he said he would be here after lunch, but …” 

“But we couldn’t resist popping in a little sooner so that I can give my little sister shit about her new girlfriend.”  Lois’ voice rang out as she appeared in the DEO in Superman’s arms.  He sat her down, and she quickly corrected herself.  “Err.  Shit.  Personfriend?  Paramour?  Lover?”  She made a face.  “Kara, help me out here, what does Lucy call Vasquez?”

“Paramour’s got a nice ring to it, now that you mention it.”  Lucy popped out from behind a corner, having caught the tail end of the conversation.  “You know, for a Pulitzer-winning journalist, you sure do shove your foot in your mouth a lot.”  They embraced.  “I didn’t realize you were coming along.”

“Yes well, as I said, it was about time I met this Vasquez.  Made sure … **_ey_**? … is good enough for my baby sis.  Oh, also, if you crazy kids are gonna let Kitty get fried by a meta on live TV, I had to have a front row seat.”  She put her arm around Lucy and turned her back in the direction she had come from.  “Clark, you rally the troops.  I’m off to give a shovel talk.”  Kara smiled as the Lane women walked away together, even though Lucy was clearly unhappy about this turn of events.  When she had first met Lucy, the relationship between the sisters had been so strained.  She suspected their asshole of a father had been a part of that.  While Lucy was away from National City, the two had buried the hatchet, and now Lois accompanied Kal on his trips to National City almost every time he visited.

Kara liked having Lois around.  She was always far more interested in getting to know Kara than Kal was, at least in Kara’s teenage years.  Kara hadn’t realized that she wanted to be a reporter until she worked so closely under Cat, but she was sure that Lois had been a subtle but powerful influence on that direction as well.  Even now, with things a little strained between herself and Kal, she and Lois were still close. 

She and Kal exchanged a look of greeting, but she made no move to hug him as she might have a year or two ago.  He shook J’onn’s hand and hugged Winn warmly.  Alex was just as icy towards him as Kara, who had subconsciously wandered back to where Lena was standing and placed her arm around Lena’s waist.  Maggie looked back and forth between the Supers and winced.

“Yikes, I’m feeling the family love in here.  Li’l Danvers, you not gonna introduce me to your famous cousin?”

Kara didn’t move, but she made the introductions.  “Kal, this is Alex’s girlfriend, Detective Maggie Sawyer of the NCPD.  Maggie this is my cousin Kal, but you obviously knew that.”

Kal flashed his best Superman smile at Maggie.  “Nice to meet you, Detective Sawyer.”

“Likewise, Big Guy.”  Alex put a hand of warning on Maggie’s forearm, but she pushed through the awkwardness anyway.  “So, what did you do to get in the doghouse, steal Kara’s potstickers?”  Kara was pretty surprised that the detective couldn’t spot the obvious Luthor-shaped elephant in the room.

Alex leaned in closer to Maggie to try to explain, but you could hear a pin drop in the room.  “Superman here was kind of a huge dick—” giving up on her attempt not to make a scene, Alex made sure she enunciated those two words very loudly, “—when he found out about Kara’s **_girlfriend_**.”  Alex looked pointedly at Lena, who gave her a thankful look in response.  But Maggie’s attention was firmly on the Supers.

“What?  The boy scout has a stick up his butt about Sam—oh shit!”  Her eyes went wide as she noticed how protectively Kara was standing beside Lena.  Then her eyes shot back to Superman accusingly.  “You don’t trust Li’l Luthor?  What, because of her last name?  What the fuck is wrong with you, asshole?”  Maggie had started to advance on Superman threateningly, wagging her finger at him, and Alex pulled her back.

His focus, however, was solely on Kara.  “Kara, who is Sam?”  _Rao, I so don’t need this right now._   She sure as hell wasn’t backing down from it either. 

“Sam is my girlfriend, Kal, not that it’s any of your business.  You’ve made it very clear that you don’t trust me with my own love life—”

Superman held up his hand authoritatively.  “Now, hold on.  I thought you were dating Ms. Luthor?  Don’t you two live together?  And I’ve been trying to apologize to you for months now, you know that while I don’t trust her, I trust you, and respect that you can—”

“You know, I really don’t believe you when you say that you respect me.  Lena’s been nothing but supportive to me for as long as she’s been in my life, which is more than I could say for you at first.  Lena isn’t going anywhere, ever.”

“But who is Sam?!”  Kal’s voice was under control, but he was clearly agitated.

“Sam is my girlfriend.  I told you that already.”

“But you just said Lena—”

Lena burst in.  “Jesus fucking christ, Superman.  I am Kara’s girlfriend.  We live together.  We love each other, whatever you may think of me.  Sam is **_also_** Kara’s girlfriend, who she also loves.  She has two girlfriends.  That clear it up for you?”

“Kara, I’ve held my tongue on a lot—”

“Have you really?” Lena muttered under her breath.

“A lot.  I don’t trust a Luthor, but I let that go.  You’re free to live your life.  But in addition to dating a Luthor, you’re also what … sleeping around with other people?  What kind of person are you?  You realize what this symbol—” he jabbed her in the chest with his index finger, “—means!  You’re supposed to be a hero, a beacon of hope!”

“OUTSIDE NOW!”  Kara’s voice was as loud as her eyes were hot.  She shoved Kal very hard towards the balcony, and they were on the roof in an instant. 

“You **_do not_** get to just fly into my place of business and lecture **_me_** about morality!”  She was right in his face, poking his chest for emphasis with every point.  “I am a grown ass woman, and your elder for the record, and I don’t need your approval on my personal life!  Who I love—how I love them—isn’t up to you!  This isn’t Kansas, Kal!”  He bristled, clearly readying a response, but Kara wasn’t done yet.  “And while we’re on the subject, don’t lecture me about **_this_**.”  She gestured to their family crest.

“This is the crest of the House of El!  It is **_not_** the logo for your personal brand of morality.  You may have learned a lot about Krypton from the holograms in your fortress, but you haven’t lived it!  You don’t understand it.  **_I_** am the last child of Krypton.  And in **_my_** culture, we don’t police love.  And plenty of people on Earth see it that way, too.  Not everyone finds love in the monogamous, heteronormative way that the Kents taught you.  If **_you’re_** going to be a symbol of hope to **_everyone_** you cannot be so judgmental!”

Kal shoved her back, apparently tired of her prodding.  “Don’t throw my upbringing at me!  I was all alone, Kara!  This planet, these people—they are everything to me.  Maybe you’re right!  Maybe I am more human than Kryptonian.  Maybe you should be too!”

“Fuck you, Kal!”

“I see that Ms. Luthor is rubbing off on you.”  Her eyes lit with literal fire at his smug retort, and he took a step back.  But she bit down on her lip, squeezed her fists tightly, released a heavy breath, and calmed herself.

“Yes, she has.  And I’m a better woman for it.  A better hero for it.  And the same goes for Sam.  My life is better, bigger and more full of love, with her in it.”

“It isn’t **_normal_** , Kara.”

“What is **_normal_** , Kal?!  This isn’t our planet.  We can do things almost no one else can.  I was raised on a different planet, with different values and a different culture.  People in National City choose to live their lives differently than people in Smallville or people in Bangladesh, or Mars, or **_where ever_**.  What’s normal for you isn’t normal for me, and **_that is absolutely fine_**.  There are over seven billion people on this planet, from more walks of life than either of us can fathom.  How can you pretend to be a champion for Earth when you judge people in this way?”

Kara turned away from him.  “And I’m done fighting with you.  You’re a better person than this, Kal.  I know you have a good heart.  I always want you in my life.  But until you get your head out of your ass and learn to truly respect me and the people I love, I’m not interested in having you around.  We need your help with Reign, but afterwards, I want you out of National City.  If Lois wants to stick around to catch up with Lucy, I can fly her back to Metropolis when she’s ready.”  Without waiting for a response, she flew back down into the DEO to find Lena.

She had work to do.


	26. We have to save her

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team Supergirl goes through with the plan to catch Reign.

** Chapter 26 **

“Supergirl, it’s bad enough I have to babysit Leslie, but do we **_really_** have to do this in my home?”  Cat emphasized her exasperation over the comms.

“Whatever **_Cat_** , we’re in your backyard.  And your tacky mansion is a piece of shit anyway.”  Leslie had stuck to her promise not to attack Cat outside the parameters of the mission, but that hadn’t stopped the two from sniping ever since the DEO contingent had arrived at Cat’s mansion on the outskirts of the city.

It was a sunny but cold afternoon.  Kara watched from her hiding spot on the second floor of Cat’s home.  The backyard was expansive.  The carefully manicured pool, hot tub, built-in grill, and firepit fit neatly into the stone and hardwood deck and seating area up against the house, and beyond that was a large grassy area, ostensibly where Carter played.   There was a full-sized soccer goal in the back of the yard, but Kara doubted Carter used it much.

“Calm down, you two.  Everything is almost ready.”  The DEO had set up cameras, sniper posts, and electrical chargers for Livewire around the perimeter.  Cat was standing beside the grill, while Livewire was just beyond where the stone gave way to grass.  Alex was coordinating from the DEO, and J’onn, Superman, and Supergirl were each hidden from view. 

Several hours had passed, and Kara still hadn’t spoken to Kal since their argument.  Lena had done a good job of talking her down from her anger and getting her focused on the task at hand.  She could yell at him more once Reign was dealt with.  But even that was … too murky for Kara’s liking.  Their plan was good, but it was only short term.  They had a good shot at taking Reign down today.  But they might have to kill her to do so.  Even if they could take her alive, Kara was terrified that they might not be able to contain her.  Beyond that … Kara sighed.  There was still so much up in the air.

J’onn’s voice piped in, drawing her attention back to the present.  “Snipers in position?”

“Affirmative.”

“Chargers active?”

“Affirmative.”

“Everyone understand their orders?  If not, speak up now.”  He was met with silence.

“Mission is yours, Supergirl.”

“Ms. Grant, get to safety as soon as Reign arrives.”

“Ten four, Supergirl.”

“Livewire.”  Supergirl let just enough threat come through in her voice.

“Yes, Blondie?”

“Don’t forget, any future you hope to build for yourself depends on you sticking to the plan.  Antagonize Ms. Grant until Reign arrives, then help us take her down.  Stand down immediately afterwards.  If anyone gets the sense that you are hindering rather than helping us, the DEO has shoot to kill orders.  Are we going to have a problem?”

“99, but I won’t be one.  I’ve got it.  I’ll play nice today, scout’s honour.”

Cat butted in.  “Supergirl, are you absolutely **_sure_** I can’t have a gun, just to be safe?  Or maybe one of those **_strapping_** agents by my side?”

Kara rolled her eyes.  “ ** _Quite_** sure, Ms. Grant.  Just play your part.  If Livewire so much as singes you, we’ll have her down and out in a heartbeat, and she knows it.”  Leslie’s annoyed snort sounded over the comms, but Supergirl didn’t have time for it.  “Now, if we’re all aware of our roles …  Agent Danvers, proceed with leaking the story to the NCPD and local news stations, as well as twitter.  Livewire has been spotted in the vicinity of Cat Grant’s home.  Consider her armed and dangerous.”  They weren’t sure how Reign was getting her information, but they were determined to catch her attention.  The plan depended on it.

“Always,” Livewire retorted.

“The news is out there, Supergirl.  Livewire, Ms. Grant, that’s your cue.”  Alex switched to a private channel.  “Kara, please be careful.  Don’t rush in until the kryptonite is in her system.  And don’t let her take the battle away from the containment area.”

“I will, Alex.”  She opened the comms back to the whole team.  “Alright everyone, radio silence.”  All DEO chatter ceased, and the performance began.

“Guess it’s just you and me, Cat Lady.”  Livewire began to pace around Cat like a predator stalking her prey.

“Oh, **_joy_**.  Honestly, Leslie, isn’t it about time you got over this little **_obsession_** you have with me?”  She was matching Livewire’s steps, but in reverse.  Suddenly, Livewire blasted a wave of lightning into Cat’s path.

“Oh please!  You love the attention.  Whether it’s me or your precious American Girl doll in a cape, you get off on it, don’t you?”  Another wave of electricity struck near Ms. Grant, but none of it hit her.  “Does it get you all hot and bothered?”

“Leslie, do you really think that I think about you at all?  You’re yesterday’s news.”

Livewire’s eyes lit up in anger.  “Bet I’ll make plenty of headlines by the time I leave your fried corpse behind here today.”  She gestured theatrically.  “You really think you can get away from me this time?  I hear tall dark and scary took out your precious Supergirl.”

“I believe in Supergirl, but regardless, I’m not scared of you, Leslie.  I never have been.  You’re all bark.  You don’t have it in you to kill me.  Besides, I hear the new Kryptonian in town is coming after your ilk, and she’s not interested in playing as nice as Supergirl.”   

Kara heard her coming before anyone else and turned her attention upward while Cat was still speaking.  A tiny dark spot appeared above the skyline of National City in the distance, and there was a sonic boom in the distance as Reign sped towards them.  She halted in the air directly above Cat’s yard, then slammed to the ground feet first.  The force of her landing nearly caused Cat to topple over.  In the bright sunlight, Reign was no longer a terrifying creature of shadow, but she was just as intimidating a presence.  She was a tall statue of coiled fury, seemingly unburdened by the laws of man or of physics.  Red eyes glared out from the dark depths of her mask, burning into Livewire.

“She’s not.”  Hearing her voice again sent a cold tension down Kara’s spine.

“Holy hell, you’re creepy up close.”  Leslie seemed oddly captivated.  “Give me a sec to finish up with this bitch, then I’m all yours, goth queen.”  She turned back to threaten Cat again.  Kara hoped Leslie was still paying attention to Reign even as she continued the act.

Reign’s eye cavities lit up orange.  “You will not harm her.  She is innocent.  You, on the other hand—” she fired off her heat vision at Livewire, “—are a pestilence to be cleansed.”

~~~~

Lena was pacing behind Alex and Winn, watching as Leslie and Cat taunted each other.  It was almost strange how sunny it was—it felt like this sort of confrontation should be taking place during a storm.  Or maybe her mind just went there because of Livewire’s power set.  Still, maybe it was a good sign, all things considered.  In some way, it felt like while the night was Reign’s domain, the day was Supergirl’s.

Winn shouted, “Got her!”  He pointed at the radar on his screen.  “Reign’s coming in fast.”  As they watched Reign touch down between Cat and Livewire, Lena’s phone rang.  She almost ignored it, but something in her screamed to look at the phone.

 It was Ruby.  “Ruby?  Sweetie, this is a bad—”

“Mom’s gone!”  Lena’s heart dropped out of her chest.  _No no no no no.  Please no._   “Lena, I’m scared.”

“Ruby, where are you?  I’m on my way.”  After confirming the address and Ruby’s safety, she hung up the phone and turned to Alex.  “It’s Ruby.  Sam’s gone.  I’m going to get her.”  Alex’s face fell, but she nodded.

“Go!  Bring her here.  I’ll keep you informed.”  Lena focused on Ruby.  She didn’t want to think about anything else.  Because she and Alex both jumped to the same conclusion.  The walls of the DEO passed her by and gave way to the more open walls of the parking garage where her car waited.  Lena’s eyes took in none of it, as her mind spiraled out of control.

~~~~

Livewire’s cackling filled Kara’s ear over the monitor.  “You’re way more fun than Blondie—this is fucking **_fantastic_**!”  Leslie’s entire body crackled with bright red light as she absorbed Reign’s heat vision.  Then she dissipated, flowing back and forth between the chargers, cackling and taunting Reign the entire time.

“Can’t kill what you can’t catch, hell bitch!”  As she continued to bounce around, she began to attack, tossing bolts of energy at Reign.  Cat ran away as Reign began to flit back and forth, trying to catch Livewire.

“Insolent shrew.  Face me!” 

“Yeah that sounds smart!  I saw what you did to Supergirl, you little shit!  I’m not some naïve girl scout you can bait into fighting you with honour or whatever.  How do ya like me?”

Reign paused, refusing to be baited by Livewire’s heckling.  “You’re a nuisance,” she spat.  Then she destroyed one of the chargers just before Leslie flowed into it, sending her tumbling back into corporeal form.  Reign took the respite to raise her voice.  “I am not here to fight with the innocent,” she bellowed.  “If you think I’m not aware of your presence here, do not fool yourselves.  Whoever is out there in wait, do not interfere, or you will be dealt with as harshly as I deal with her.”  Kara wasn’t surprised that she was aware of the DEO’s presence, but she didn’t seem to have registered the presence of the other Kryptonians.  Reign’s attention was still primarily on Livewire who was rising to her feet now.  She growled, then shot out two whips of light, one lashing around each of Reign’s wrists.

J’onn’s voice rang out, “Snipers!  Open fire!”  Shots rained down on the dark figure, pelting her with flashes of green.  Kryptonite hollow-point bullets, designed by Lena to lodge within Reign and burst apart, flooding her system.  As Reign reeled back, J’onn rushed his team in, flying in and driving two syringes of concentrated liquid kryptonite into Reign’s bloodstream.  Screaming in agony, she lashed out with her heat vision, but J’onn phased just in time, allowing the beams to pass through him harmlessly.  “Supers, now!” 

Kara finally leapt from her hiding spot, as did Kal.  Each of them was outfitted with a refurbished anti-Kryptonite chestplate Winn had designed for use against Metallo.  They wouldn’t completely counteract the effect of all the kryptonite around them, but they would protect the Supers and keep them functioning at some level of their usual strength.  They flew at Reign at full speed.  Kara briefly glimpsed the surprise in her eyes before she and Kal hit her simultaneously, driving her into the ground with the force of a small meteor.  Superman had her in a sleeper hold immediately, but she got a kick in on Kara, sending her flying.  She landed in a crouch.

“So, the Supergirl kneels?”  Reign’s glowing red irises somehow managed to remain plenty expressive through the pain of the kryptonite flooding her body.  That same pitying look from their last encounter captured Kara’s attention.  _Who are you?_   Even with Kal’s arms around her neck and Leslie’s lightning at her wrists, she flashed an impish grin at Supergirl.  “That should be good practice, if you survive this.  I’m actually glad to see that you recovered from our last encounter.”

Reign was struggling against the poison but having almost less trouble with it than Superman was.  Kara charged her, and Reign fired off her heat vision at Supergirl, who met it with her own.  She matched Reign’s energy, but floated up into the sky, attempting to distract Reign’s attention from the others around her.  Kara focused all of her emotions into the energy flowing through her eyes.  The fear she felt remembering the first battle with Reign.  The anger she felt towards Kal.  The love she held for Lena, Alex, Sam, Eliza, Maggie, J’onn, and Cat.  Her compassion for and connection to the people of this planet.  Her sheer determination not to lose another world like she lost Krypton.  She shouted as her own power poured out of her.

Livewire withdrew her electric shackles and began hitting Reign with targeted bolts again, hoping to continue weakening the Worldkiller.  Fortunately ( _but not for me_ , Kara thought to herself), Reign had eyes only for Supergirl.  With a cry of unbridled fury and pain, Reign’s heat vision pulsed with even more power and force, and it drove Kara’s back into her head, sending her flying away from the battle.  All she could see was white, and her skull was filled with blinding pain again.  She continued to spin helplessly through the air until she felt her back impact against something hard that then crumpled under her.

Kara could hear the battle continuing to rage, but at more of a distance now.  Her vision started to clear at the same time that her head did.  She was up and flying back towards the sounds of violence before coherent thoughts returned to her.  Reign’s voice drifted above the cacophony.

“Why do you bother?  My quarrel is not with any of you, just the criminal.  My justice will not be impeded.  Why defend her?  You think she would defend you if the tables were turned?” 

Livewire clapped back, “Maybe I’m just better at making friends, you terrifying shit!”  More sounds of electricity and an explosion followed.

Supergirl was mostly clearheaded again as she returned to Cat’s backyard.  Reign had freed herself of Kal’s chokehold and was trading blasts of heat vision and electricity with him and Livewire.  J’onn continued to phase in and out of the battle, landing blows on Reign where he could.  He was favouring his left arm, though.  A thin trail of blood escaped Superman’s lower lip.  Two more of Livewire’s chargers were down, and all of the sniper posts were smoldering ruins.

However, the battle was taking its toll on Reign.  She was moving much slower than Kara had ever seen her move, and she was breathing heavily.  Her usual emotionless façade was broken, and she was lashing out at her foes with anger and frustration.  Enough so that she had registered Supergirl’s return to the battlefield.  She sped in behind Reign, and locked her up in the sleeper hold, just like Alex had shown her.  “NOW J’ONN!”

“Agents, open fire!”  The team led by J’onn, previously waiting on the outskirts of the battle, charged in weapons ablaze.  They bombarded Reign with darts, filled with elephant tranquilizer, while Supergirl used all her strength to briefly cut off circulation to Reign’s brain.  The Worldkiller shrieked, then slumped into Kara’s arms.  Supergirl dropped her, then crumbled to her knees, heaving in gasps of laboured breath.  Shouts came from around her.

“Livewire, stand down!  Superman, restrain her!”

“Bring in the red sun chamber, quickly!”  There was movement around her, and Kara began to catch her breath.  She stopped ignoring the other voice in her ear.

“Supergirl!  Supergirl, tell me you are okay!  Supergirl?”

Kara whispered, “I’m okay, Alex.  I’m okay.”  She raised her head in time to see several DEO agents lifting Reign’s unconscious body into the red sun chamber.  “We’ve got her.  I’ll see you soon.”  She stood, carefully, then walked over and placed a hand on top of Reign’s chamber.  It was already warm with red sun energy.  A familiar voice crackled behind her.

“You’re not gonna kill her, are you?”  Kara’s eyes stayed on Reign, tracing the unsettlingly familiar jawline.  She could barely pay attention to Livewire talking behind her.

“No.”  The mask was still in place, and Kara couldn’t chance opening the chamber.  There was something about those lips.   The shape of Reign’s earlobes.  “I … I have to try to get through to her,” Kara whispered. 

“What!?  Come on.  You and your Pollyanna **_bullshit_**.  You think you're gonna get through to Reign?!”  _I have to.  I have to save her.  I have to._

“I got through to you.  There must be something good in you that I could trust to help us with this.”

“It’s called not dying in prison, Barbie.  You will **_never_** get through to me.  I’ll admit that you’re a badass who can take a hell of a beating, but I still hate you.  That won’t change.”

Kara couldn’t even bother to respond.  She couldn’t think straight right now.  Her brain wouldn’t accept what her body was telling her about the still form entombed before her.  Kara's entire being felt tight with anxiety.  She couldn’t breathe.  She turned away and found J’onn.

“Let’s go.”

~~~~

Ruby and Sam had been enjoying some mother-daughter ice skating together.  And then Sam was just gone.  Sam would never leave Ruby alone.  Would never endanger her daughter.  What must Ruby be thinking?  How could Alex have been wrong?  Lena’s head continued to spin.  She was at the rink before she knew it—she had been so focused that she couldn’t even really remember driving here.

Lena rushed into the building, eyes searching hurriedly for Ruby.  Everything was shades of white, with hints of red and blue scattered about.  Why were there so many people here?  She rushed around the rink, heels not inhibiting her pace in the slightest.  “Ruby?”  Lena saw her.  “Ruby!  Ruby, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”  The girl seemed shaken, and she had clearly been crying.  Lena led her gently over to a nearby table.  “Lena, I turned around, and she was just gone.”

“Baby I’m so sorry.  Your mom’s just … she’s going through a lot—”

“That’s not it!”  Ruby’s eyes were empty.  Her voice cracked.  “This keeps happening.  She disappears.  She doesn’t remember things.  Sometimes … sometimes it’s like she’s an entirely different person.”

“I know.”  Lena’s own voice was thin, defeated.  “But we’re going to help her, Ruby, I promise.  This **_isn’t_** your mom.  You know that, right?”  She nodded but looked no less terrified.  “For right now, you’re coming with me, okay?  I’m going to take you to Supergirl’s secret base.  Kara’s sister Alex is waiting for us there.  She’ll help us figure out how to help your mom.”  Ruby’s response was again nothing more than a nod, but her face lightened up the tiniest bit at the mention of Supergirl.  They walked briskly to Lena’s car, and she checked her phone.  Alex’s message was short.

[1:12 p.m.] **We got her.  Kara is safe.**

Lena shot back a quick response: [1:12 p.m.]    **And Reign?**

[1:13 p.m.]  **Alive.**

Lena breathed a sigh of relief.  _Does Kara know yet?_

~~~~

Supergirl made sure that Livewire made it back to her cell without incident, then flew back to the DEO’s downtown headquarters.  She needed to check in with Lena and collect Alex to return to the desert base where a special cell had been created for Reign.  Her body felt numb, matching the empty buzzing in her mind.  She could feel the tears forming in her eyes, but she didn’t know why. 

Without warning, her body dropped out of the air.  She caught herself after a couple of seconds, and the sudden loss of concentration barely even registered.  She couldn’t feel **_anything_**.  The sun still shone bright around her, the warmth of the yellow rays filling her body with limitless energy.  But she may as well have been in the void of space.

Lena waited for her on the balcony.  The broken look on her face said everything.  Lena’s body language matched how Kara felt on the inside.  Like the life had slipped from both of them.  She landed and immediately crashed into Lena’s arms.  Their feet failed them, and they both crumpled to the ground, sobbing into each other’s arms.

She could only muster five words.

“We have to save her.”


	27. Who is Samantha Arias?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam wakes up in a cell, and our ladies try to cope with the emotional devastation of realizing once and for all that Sam is Reign.

** Chapter 27 **

She didn’t wake up immediately.  Sleep gave way to semi-consciousness, which gave way to groggy resting.  There was a deep red glow beyond her closed eyelids, and she felt warmer this morning than usual.  At least she wasn’t jarred awake from another nightmare this time …  _Nightmare._

Sam’s eyes popped open, and everything was wrong.  She was lying on the floor, of a circular room.  Without moving her head, she could see only that she was enclosed in a transparent circular wall that rose to meet the ceiling, and there appeared to be a room beyond her cylinder.  Where the transparent wall met the ceiling, there was a ring of green lighting.  Her room was lit by three large red lamps embedded into the ceiling—but they were giving off a good amount of heat in addition to the unusual light.  

Sam jerked up into a seated position, the strangeness of the room breaking through her grogginess.  _Where the fuck am I?_   She found herself in what she could only think of as either a cell or an animal enclosure.  The cell was a circular cylinder, raised up from the floor of the surrounding room by maybe a foot.  Its diameter was roughly ten or twelve feet, and featureless save for the toilet, sink, and the pallet she had just woken up on.  She wasn’t sure what sort of material it was made of, but the padding was not uncomfortable.  Small blessings.  The floor was also ringed by green—almost like a wide LED emitter.  Shaking her head clear of the remaining fog of sleep, she stood.  Her body was painfully sore, and she groaned at the effort of standing and stretching.

Then she noticed.  Kara and Lena were seated together on a couple of uncomfortable looking chairs.  Kara had woken when Sam groaned, and she was nudging Lena awake.  Sam ran to the wall.  “Kara, baby, what is going on?!  Why am I in here?”  She didn’t care that her voice sounded weak and terrified—she was legitimately freaking out now.

The look in Kara and Lena’s eyes did nothing to calm her.  Lena almost looked afraid of her, and Kara’s crystal blue eyes were filled with conflict and pain.  “Sam.  We’ll explain.  I promise.  But first, I need—” her voice broke a little, “—I **_need_** to know that you are okay.”

“I am in no way okay, Kara!  I wake up in what is obviously a very fancy prison cell, sore all over, and I have no fucking idea what the fuck is going on, and Lena is looking at me like she is terrified of me … Kara, I’m not fucking okay!  Why am I in here?!”  She could feel the tears run down her face, hot and heavy.

Kara put her hand against the thick glass (or whatever material this was), and Sam’s hand shakily rose to meet it.  Blue eyes met brown, both full of tears.  Sam took a deep breath.  Kara whispered, “I’m so sorry, Sam.  You don’t deserve this.  I promise—I **_promise_** —I’ll find a way to save you.”

Sam could barely get the words out.  “From what?”

The tears fell down Kara’s face.  “Alex reevaluated the blood samples she took.  They … they’ve mutated.  They’re … Kryptonian.  Sort of.”  The weight of that statement sank into Sam so heavily it felt as though it might drag her to the floor.  “Sam … we don’t know how … but—”  Kara’s voice broke again, this time as she held back a sob, “—you’re ...”

“ ** _Reign_** ,” whispered Lena.  Sam crumpled to the ground as her emotions overtook her.  Heaving sobs wracked her body, making it hard to breathe. Somehow, she registered Kara on the ground next to her, hand still on the glass. She felt so close, yet so very far away.  Her girlfriend, her love.  _My foe, my enemy._   Vague flashes of her own hand wrapped around Kara’s throat.  Of Kara’s beaten and bloody face.  The fight all gone out of her then horrifyingly dull blue eyes.  She cried out at the pain of the vision— _the memory_ —and her sobbing only got worse.

She tried to get words out, tried to apologize, but she could hardly breathe.  The words wouldn’t come.  There was a ringing in her ears, and her chest felt simultaneously as though it would explode and also collapse in on itself.  She had no idea how much time passed before the ringing faded enough to notice their voices nearby.  Her sobs weakened enough that she could look up, and now Lena’s hand had joined Kara’s.  Their faces were stained with tears as well, their eyes red and puffy.  They were trying to reach her.

“Sam, we’re here.  We’re not going anywhere.  You’ve got us.”  Her brain didn’t quite register if that was Lena or Kara or both.  She wanted to stop.  She wanted to say something.  But her body wouldn’t comply.  The sight of their faces just set off another bout of crying and pain.  Sam wished that she could touch Kara, to crumple into her arms and hide there forever.  Then her mind violently revolted against that thought.  _I can’t be trusted to touch Kara.  I can’t be around anyone.  I can’t …_

She breathed in, trying desperately to steady herself.  “K-K-Kara, w--where’s Ruby?  I-Is she safe?”

“She is.  Sweetie, I promise.  Lena got her, she’s with Vasquez at the DEO right now.  We’ll take care of her while we figure out how to free you from this thing.”  Kara patted her hand on the glass softly, to get Sam’s attention.  “Sam.  Look at me, baby.  Sam.”  She met Kara’s gaze cautiously, and there was nothing but love and concern there.  “We’re your family.  And we’re Ruby’s family, too.”

Sam knew that Ruby would be safe with these two amazing women.  Her family.  Even if …  Ruby was safe.  That was the most important thing. 

Lena spoke up, hesitantly.  “You’re not alone, Sam.”  Her voice was thinner than usual, and something was off about her tone in a way that Sam had never heard before.  But her eyes were fiery, determined.  “I’m working on something already.  You know that neither of us will stop until we have figured out a way to get rid of Reign.”

 _I can think of an obvious one._   Kara’s eyes widened, and Sam wondered briefly if she could read minds.

“No!  Sam, **_no_**!  That is **_not_** an option.  Reign is a parasite.  She’s taken over your body.  You **_are not her_**.  I don’t care what it takes, but I will get you back.  I won’t let you go.  I swear it.”  Kara’s words were so forceful that Sam felt them as much as she hurt them.  A tiny spark of hope rekindled in her chest.

“We have to figure this out first.  Figure out … what Reign is, how my body can be both human and Kryptonian.”  Her crying finally halted, at least for now, she was able to think.  “Kara, you have to get my pod.  That’s where this all started.”

Kara nodded.  “That makes sense.  It shouldn’t take me more than an hour to get there and back with the pod, if that.  If you’re okay here, I’ll go now.” 

“Please go.  I don’t want to waste any time.  I don’t … we don’t know when **_she_** will be back.  Lena and I can discuss what to do with Ruby while I’m staying here.”  Kara caught her eyes again.

“I **_love_** you, Sam.  Be strong for me.  For Ruby.  We’ll figure this out.”  Sam could only nod in return.  She didn’t feel as though she deserved Kara’s love.  Not anymore.  Kara squeezed Lena’s shoulder as they exchanged a look, and then she was gone, leaving the old friends alone with an awkward silence.

~~~~

Kara found Patricia Arias’ address in Sam’s phone.  Now, she just had to tell Alex and J’onn where she was going.  As she walked down the hallway, however, she ran into an obstacle.  A large, blue and red obstacle.

“Kara, can we please talk?”  She shoved past him, even though his bulk took up the majority of the hallway.  He grabbed her arm on the way past.  She glared at him.  “Please?”  His eyes were soft, pleading.  She sighed.

“I have to go.  What is it?”

“I’m sorry … for what I said, for how I treated you.  And I’m sorry about Sam.  Lois and Lucy gave me an earful before the battle.  Told me to put myself in your shoes.  I …  I don’t understand it.  I’ve only ever loved Lois.  And my parents … they only ever had eyes for each other.  This … **_arrangement_** is weird and confusing to me.”  Kara’s eyes narrowed.  “But that doesn’t matter!  You were right.  Your normal doesn’t have to be my normal, or vice versa.  Lucy told me how close the three of you are, how happy Sam makes you.”

Kara’s eyes watered, thinking of Sam in that cell.  Kal’s eyes sparkled with compassion.  “Kara.  I know I’m not …  I’m not Kryptonian, not like you.  But we’re family.  We’re all that is left of the House of El.  I will always be here for you.  The Earth is my home, and I will always stand up for everyone here.  Including you.  Including Sam.  Even …  even **_Lena_** , as much as I don’t trust her.”

Kara wanted to yell at him some more, but now wasn’t the time.  “You **_should_** trust her.  I trust her a hell of a lot more than I trust you.  You continuing to distrust her because of her family is no different than how General Lane treats us.  The fact that you can’t see that …”  She trailed off, and he was starting to look argumentative again.  She placed a hand on his arm.  “Look, Kal.  Thank you for apologizing.  And for your offer of support.  We are family, and I love you, even though you drive me insane sometimes.  But I have to go now.  I have to save her.”

She pushed away from him and continued down the hallway.  She came into the main chamber of the DEO and quickly tracked down Alex.  J’onn wasn’t there.  “Alex!”  She turned and walked towards Kara.  Her limp was barely noticeable—Lena’s brace was clearly doing its job.  They met halfway, wrapping each other into a hug.  “Thanks for coming out here.” 

“Of course.  Is she awake?  Is she …” 

“She’s Sam again.”  When they got her back to the desert base, Kara had gotten into a big argument with J’onn.  She insisted on being allowed to change Sam into some comfortable clothes, so that she didn’t have to wake up and find herself in that outfit.  J’onn didn’t know how long they could expect Reign to stay passed out, and he didn’t want to risk Kara getting trapped in the cell with her.  The kryptonite emitters in the cell, when fully powered, where enough to put Kara in a coma.  But there was no way that Kara was going to let him dictate how she protected her girlfriend.  She hoped—believed—that changing Sam’s clothes could help somehow, get her in the right mindset in her sleep.  And she had been right, maybe.

“Okay.  And how is she handling it?”  Alex’s voice was soothing in her ear.

“She’s so scared, Alex.  And hurt … it broke her when she realized what her body had been forced to do.  To think about what it did to me, especially, I think.  Even then … her first thought was about Ruby.  She wanted to know that Ruby was okay.”  Alex’s hand rubbed her back gently.  “And she had an idea.  I’m going to get her pod right now.  I’ll bring it back here—maybe we can find some answers.”

Kara pulled out of the embrace and looked Alex in the eye.  “Have you figured anything out about her blood?  Anything that could help her?”  Alex’s eyes clouded, and she shook her head.

“Nothing yet.  The blood is definitely Kryptonian, but it’s different than yours or Kal’s.  I’m not exactly sure how yet, but it may have something to do with her much higher tolerance for kryptonite.  But in terms of why it appeared human before … or why two different people seem to be sharing her body …  I’ve still got nothing.  But I’ll keep working.”  Alex’s rubbed her arm.  “You headed out right now?”

“Yeah, I told Sam and Lena I would.  I don’t want her to have to stay in that cage any longer than necessary.  She doesn’t deserve this.”  She breathed out heavily.  “Tell J’onn where I am?”

“Sure thing, Supergirl.  Good luck.”

“Be back soon.”

~~~~

It took a lot of willpower for Lena not to follow after Kara when she left the room.  She wanted to protect the Sam she remembered.  To be there for her best friend in the world.  Sam was her family back when she felt all alone in the world.  Lena owed her everything.  But … when she looked at the woman in that cell, she didn’t see her Sam.

Kara brought her to the DEO’s desert base after they were both able to stand again.  She refused to leave Supergirl’s side, so she was there as they transferred the red sun chamber to this room deep within the base.  Lena was there when they transferred Reign into the cell.  She listened silently as J’onn and Kara argued about the clothes their prisoner would be allowed to wear.  She looked on as Kara cast off all the trappings of Reign, trying so desperately to bring Sam back.  As she washed the dark makeup off her face.  And then finally, they had sealed the cell and activated the red sun lamps and kryptonite emitters.  Lena had no idea what the DEO did with the Reign outfit and accessories.  She and Kara had set up two chairs to wait and see which person would wake up—their loved one or the remorseless murderer.

Changing Sam’s clothes hadn’t had the same effect on Lena that it did Kara.  Lena knew that it was her imagination working against her, but when she looked into those deep brown eyes, she could see flecks of that awful glowing red around her irises.  The mask and the dark makeup were gone, but the ghost of them darkened Sam’s face in Lena’s mind.  She could barely stand to look at her.  She didn’t trust her face not to betray her inner turmoil and fear.  And anger.

“Lena, it’s okay.”  Sam’s voice was weak and tense, and Lena couldn’t help but conjure that slight metallic edge to it.  She kept her eyes on her shoes.  “What is it?  You’re scared of me?  Angry?  …  Lee, that’s fine.  I am feeling all the same emotions.  You can’t hate me more than I hate myself right now.  But I’m still your Sam.” 

Lena whispered, “I don’t hate you.”  She looked up and met Sam’s gaze.  The woman’s eyes were filled with sadness and self-loathing.  “I could never hate you, Sam.  I just …”  _Don’t see only you anymore._ She stood and began to pace, avoiding Sam’s gaze again.  “I’m sorry.  You don’t deserve this.  You didn’t choose it.  **_You_** didn’t hurt Kara…  But—”

“But it’s hard for your heart to accept what your mind is telling you.  You almost lost Kara, and now you don’t just see your best friend.  You see—” Sam’s voice broke, and Lena could imagine the tears running down her face again, “—your girlfriend’s attempted murderer.”  Lena had no response.  Sam had always known her so well.

She could hear the quiet sounds of Sam’s laboured breath, the sniffle of her nose as she cried silently.  Lena’s heart melted in her chest, but she couldn’t bring herself to face Sam again.  She hated herself for her weakness.  “Let’s just … Ruby will be okay, I promise.  Kara and I will move into your place, temporarily, so that we don’t disrupt her life any more than necessary.”

“Lee … does she know?”  Sam’s voice was tight with worry.

“She knows that something is wrong.  She’s been noticing for a while … the disappearances, the mood changes, the lost memories.  When you disappeared from the skating rink, she called me.”  Lena let out a breath.  “She doesn’t know that you’re Reign.”  She thought she heard a sigh of relief from Sam.  Lena continued to pace around without looking up.  “I told her that you’re sick.  She thinks you’re in quarantine.  She fought me really hard on whether she could see you, but she trusts me.  Don’t worry.  Kara and I will look after her.  If we can keep her from having to face this, we will.”

Ruby had been a mess at first.  She had been frantic, demanding to see Sam and make sure she was okay.  Lena had explained that they had found Sam, that she was okay but sick.  Lena brought her to the DEO and told her that the DEO was a secret group that worked with Supergirl to protect the world, and that they had the best doctors to help Sam.   Ruby was so angry that no one would let her see Sam, not even Alex and Vasquez offering to take her on a tour would distract her.  Fortunately, Kara was capable of putting on a brave face long enough for Supergirl to make an appearance and reassure the girl.  Supergirl’s assurance that Sam would be okay and her exhortation that Ruby be brave for her, finally got through to her.  Right now, she was hanging out with Vasquez, waiting for Lena to come and get her.

“Just … keep her safe, Lee.  She may figure it out herself.  She’s a s-s-smart girl.”  Sam couldn’t hide the pain in her voice.  “Please, Lee.  Tell her I love her.”

Lena’s chest was tight, and her legs were shaky.  She wasn’t sure how much longer she could stay here.  “I’m … Sam, I’m going to fix this.  I’m working on something.  I’ve been working on something, just in case…”

“In case Alex was wrong.  My Lena… always prepared for the worst.”  Sam sniffed again, trying not to cry anymore.  Lena glanced over at her friend, who was now seated against the glass, facing away from Lena.  “Kara will do everything she can, she’ll kill herself trying, but you and I both know that you’re my best hope.  You and Alex.  This isn’t a problem Supergirl can punch.  It’s … it’s a puzzle for Lena Luthor to solve.”

 _And I will solve it.  I’m almost there, Sam.  Just hold on._   Lena turned back to face Sam again and immediately took a step back in surprise.  She was standing again, and her entire posture was changed.  Her stance was powerful, predatory.  She stood at her full height, shoulders back, hand held at her side in effortless fists.  Her head tilted downward imperiously at Lena, and her glowing red irises held a challenge in them.

“I know you, Lena Luthor.  You are not like most humans.”  Lena felt her own posture shift to match Reign’s as her walls went up.  She wouldn’t give this monster the satisfaction of any real reaction. 

“Reign.  Should I be flattered that you know me?  Do you not have access to information about me contained in that mind you have possessed?”

“I have access to bits and pieces, but not everything.  Besides, your reputation precedes you.  You are the one who drove back the Daxamite invasion, after all.  You should be leading these humans, yet you are content to play the businesswoman.  Why?”  Reign seemed legitimately curious, and Lena wasn’t sure how to handle that.  She kept her guard up.

“What I choose to do with my considerable talents is my business, not yours.  What about you—why are you here?  What are you trying to accomplish, beyond simply ridding the Earth of its less savoury elements?”

Reign’s head tilted ever so slightly as she studied Lena.  “I explained this to your girlfriend already, just before I beat her into the ground.”  Lena immediately took control of the scowl that sought to overtake her face.  _She knows Kara is Supergirl.  Does she know about Sam and Kara?_   “I am here to bring justice to this world.  It begins with the culling of evil, of the worthless souls who thrive on oppression and violence.  But I will not stop there.  I am not here to harm the innocents, but you are all complicit in the corruption that taints your society.  I will burn your governments, your power structures, to the ground, and then I will build up something **_just_** on the ashes.  People like you will be key to what comes next, Lena Luthor.”

“And what of my loved ones?  What of Supergirl?  And Sam?”  Lena kept her voice tight and cold, allowing herself no emotional expression that Reign could use against her.

“Love is a weakness.  You must put it behind you for the war ahead.  After …”  She shrugged, as if to suggest that Lena could indulge in this unusual weakness of love once the new world was prepared.  “For now, I have no qualms with Kara Zor-El, so long as she stays out of my way.  Ideally, I would have her join me—I am the pinnacle of Kryptonian culture and evolution; she should welcome my vision.  But she chooses instead to defend this hopeless world and its worthless people.  That is her choice.  I wonder, what will yours be?”  Reign’s voice always held the promise of force in it, but it was surprisingly capable of conveying a depth of emotions in the dark woman’s soul.  _If she has a soul._

“And Sam?”

“Samantha Arias is a fiction.  Camouflage created by my makers’ programming in order to allow me to develop and grow into maturity on this world.  I confess, she is a powerful personality, but whether this was a flaw in my makers’ technology or merely an interesting quirk of random chance, I do not know.  What I do know is that she has delayed my coming for too long.  It will not be much longer before I have full control over this form.  You would do well to let Sam go.”

“She is my family.  I cannot let her go. I **_will_** not.”

Reign smirked.  “And yet, you are afraid of her.  You do not see just your friend anymore.  You see **_me_**.  You blame Sam for all the suffering Kara Zor-El has experienced at my hand.  You are a fascinating person, Lena.  I have told you that Samantha is a fiction, that I am so much more than her—and yet, you cannot separate us.  Despite your **_love_** for this fiction.  Part of you no longer trusts her.  Part of you has considered killing her, to stop me.”  She narrowed her eyes.  “Tell me I am wrong.”

Lena knew she couldn’t deny it.  And she hated that Reign could see through her so easily.  Unlike Sam, Reign did not earn that skill.  Did not deserve it.  It was disturbing how much of Sam Lena could recognize in Reign.  Hints, flashes, and subtle versions of traits that were so familiar.  _What is the difference?  Where does one end and the other begin?_

“Even now, your conflict is transparent to me.  Is Samantha still trapped away in the back of my mind somewhere?  Or is she somehow a part of me?  I am capable of ending the lives of the wicked without remorse—is she?  You cannot be sure, and it eats at you.”  Reign turned away from her.  “It does not have to.  Sam will be gone—sooner or later, I will purge myself of her.  Whether you accept this truth now, you will have to face it eventually.”  She turned back, placing her hand against the transparent wall of her cell.  “But we do not have to be enemies.  You are capable of making the difficult choices, of seeing the structural corruption endemic to your society.  You are not ready to join me yet; I see this.  But perhaps soon you will come to understand.”

Reign’s focus shifted to the door, and Lena assumed the DEO had finally noticed what was going on and had sent backup to check on Lena.  Headed by Alex, if Lena had to guess.  “We will continue this conversation at another time, Lena Luthor.” 

Lena’s eyes were dragged back to Reign in sudden shock.  Reign’s eye cavities glowed orange.  _What the fuck?!_  “How?—” Lena’s voice trailed off, all her previous strength falling away.

“My powers are not dependent on anything so trivial as a yellow sun.”  Then she blew a hole in the ceiling and was gone in a flash, just as Alex stormed into the room with a team of agents.  Lena’s eyes were captivated by the newly formed skylight.  Just like that, everything had changed. 

~~~~

The sunlight danced over the subtle waves of the water in a way that felt intricate and yet oh so simple.  If she chose to, as she did now, Kara could see deep down through the water and observe the alien world thriving beyond the reckoning of most humans.  She wasn’t a biologist like Eliza or Alex, but she was fascinated by the ways in which life became tailored to the culture and context of the environment around it.  The ocean was where life on Earth had begun, and yet the civilization on the shore a hundred miles to her left was so unlike the ecosystem it had left behind millenia ago that it may as well have come from another world entirely.

But you could see this happening in the short term, as well.  Adaptation was not solely the province of evolution and epochs.  Just look at Kara Zor-El.  She had lived on Earth now as long as she had on Krypton, and she had spent twice as long in the Phantom Zone as she did on either planet.  She was unique—a singular entity, created and shaped and changed by a blend of cultures and environments no other person had experienced in the same combination.  She was equal parts Kryptonian and human, and something entirely different on top of them both.

As she looked down at the pod she held in her right hand, she wondered how this universal truth applied to Reign.  The Worldkiller was created to be a Kryptonian goddess, and yet she had spent the majority of her life as an intelligent, passionate, ambitious, beyond amazing human woman.  A mom.  A friend.  A partner.  She didn’t know how it was possible—that’s something she trusted Alex and the DEO to figure out—but however it had happened, this dark science experiment had resulted in something completely unexpected. 

Sam was even more remarkable than Kara had ever realized.  The entire deck was stacked against her.  Genetically engineered to be a killer.  Born into a world at the moment of its final destruction.  Raised by a woman who lied to her and then betrayed her in her greatest moment of need.  Left to fend for herself and her daughter before she had ceased being a child herself.

Despite all of that, Sam had adapted.  She shaped herself into something good.  Into someone worth saving.  Sam was not Reign.  She was not a Worldkiller.  She had the right to choose who she wanted to be, to free herself of a genetic destiny she didn’t ask for.  Kara would do everything in her power to give Sam that chance.

She checked her phone’s GPS to be sure she didn’t overshoot National City.  Kara loved to fly over the ocean when she had to travel up the coast, but it did make navigating more of a challenge.  The DEO was about fifty miles southeast of her, so she angled to her left and moved in towards the coast.  She was so lost in thought as she approached the DEO that she almost missed the gaping hole in the desert.

The one directly over the most heavily fortified, deep underground part of the bunker in which the DEO had constructed the cell for Reign.  Kara’s heart sank as she dropped from the sky, placing Sam’s pod gently down beside her.  _No no no.  How?  How could she escape?_ Kara’s mind briefly jumped to Lena and Alex, but she felt confident by now that Reign wouldn’t have hurt them.  Wanton slaughter was not her thing.  She might be a remorseless killer, but she had a code.  However much she disagreed with that code, Kara wondered the extent to which it arose out of Sam’s personality rather than Reign’s.  How much more terrifying and evil might the Worldkiller have been without the extraordinary adaptation that was Samantha Arias?

Voices from below broke Kara’s reverie.  These questions didn’t matter right now.  She had to get this pod to Alex.  Time was not a resource they had available anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things got kinda dark here, but I wanted to end on a more contemplative Kara. Our girl has hope, and you should too, dear readers.


	28. You promise?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team works on possible solutions to the Reign conundrum. Supergirl spends time with Ruby.

** Chapter 28 **

“So, Reign was telling a version of the truth at least.” 

“About Sam being a fiction?  Lena!  No, absolutely not.  Sam is a person.  She is real.”  Kara couldn’t control the volume or pitch of her voice, and she didn’t care.  She couldn’t even believe Lena was suggesting it.

They were in a large lab at the DEO’s desert base, with Alex and Winn.  The other engineers and tech geniuses who had been working with Lena and Winn on Reign’s pod had given them the room when Supergirl showed up for a status update.  Kara had helped them with the initial interface problems, but Winn was close to fluent in Kryptonese at this point, and he and Lena had been hard at work for hours trying to get any information they could from the pod.  Supergirl had spent the time searching the city frantically, but there was no sign of Reign.  She couldn’t take not knowing any more, and now, it felt like Lena was confirming all her worst fears.

Lena walked over and put a hand on Kara’s arm.  Alex stayed out of it.  “Kara.  I **_know_**.  She was my Sam long before she was your Sam.  I know this is stressful, but we have to be a team on this.”  Kara breathed out heavily, knowing that Lena was right.  She nodded.  “I said she was telling a **_version_** of the truth.  From Reign’s perspective, Sam may very well be a ‘fiction,’ even if she is so much more to us.”

Winn jumped in.  “What Lena is trying to say is that Sam was created by Reign’s pod as a sort of camouflage and incubation system.  Or that’s how she started anyway.  The tech is actually crazy intriguing, I mean, it’s so far beyond anything I could—” Kara, Alex, and Lena were all glaring at him, “—right.  Sorry.  Not the point.”

“It didn’t take long for us to figure it out—we just had to look for any differences between her pod and yours.  The tech is all the same, obviously, except that hers was programmed with additional sensors and a highly unusual—and clearly experimental—biotech software.”  Normally seeing Lena get into passionate scientist mode, all emphatic gestures and rambling tech speak, would have brightened Kara’s world.  The fact that all she felt was anxiety told Kara everything she needed to know about her own stress levels.  She walked away from the pod—she couldn’t stand still any longer. 

“It took us hours to really figure out what it was.  We still have no clue how it works, but the pod was programmed to scan the planet where it landed in order to determine the dominant species.  Then the Worldkiller’s form was altered on a genetic level.”

"This is the part we still don’t understand.  Because Reign and Sam are very clearly not some sort of human-Kryptonian hybrid.  Well… Reign isn’t even Kryptonian exactly, she’s—”

“A super Kryptonian!”  Winn couldn’t keep the excited geek out of his voice, earning him more glares.

“The point is … Reign is what she is.  But … as Sam, she appears fully human.  DNA, blood, organs, abilities, **_everything_**.  If there was any doubt about that, Ruby confirmed it for us.”

Kara gasped, realizing the gravity of Lena’s statement.  “Ruby is human.”

“Yes, darling.  She is.”  Lena’s eyes were soft, matching how Kara felt on the inside.  No matter what happened, she knew that they would protect that sweet girl. 

Alex weighed in.  “Okay, but that doesn’t explain how Sam was able to survive getting shot without a scratch.  Unless she just … changed into Reign for a split second on instinct?”

“I don’t think so.”  Lena traced a finger along the hull of Reign’s pod.  “Like we said, this is clearly experimental tech.  I think that Sam was expected to be a flimsy construct, something that Reign would shrug off once her body reached maturity.  But our girl was too strong.  The Kryptonian cult loonies didn’t account for that.  Didn’t expect that sort of adaptation.  It’s possible that having Ruby at such a young age had some influence on delaying the coming of Reign as well.”

“Okay but you didn’t answer my question, Lena.”  Lena rolled her eyes at Alex.

“You Danvers women are so impatient.  I was getting there, Alex.”  Winn winced, clearly anticipating retaliation, but Alex just shrugged and gestured for Lena to continue.  “I can’t prove it, but I think now that Reign had awakened, she and Sam may be merging in some way.  But I have no idea how it works, or what the end result might be.”

“That makes sense with what happened to Sam’s blood sample actually.  I mean … it **_could_** just be that the camouflage wore off after the blood was out of Sam’s body long enough.  But it could be that the blood did actually mutate.”

Kara had listened to the conversation with an increasing sense of dread.  “Lena…  you’re saying—”  Her voice cracked, and she couldn’t finish the thought.  Lena rushed to her side, wrapping her up in a tight hug.  Kara tried to breathe normally, but she couldn’t stop the tightness in her chest.

“We won’t let that happen, love.  I promise.  Kaziah and I have a possible solution, and it is almost ready.”  Kara pulled her head back enough to catch Lena’s eyes with her own.  There was hope and determination in those clear green fields.  Kara kissed her, just one soft peck.

Alex interrupted softly, “What are we missing here, guys?  Kara, what are you afraid of?”

Lena answered for her, and Kara loved her girlfriend for not making her say it.  “She’s worried that Reign could consume Sam fully.  That she could be gone forever.”  Lena turned back to Kara and pulled her chin up so that she was looking at her again.  “But we don’t know that, okay?  You have to believe in Sam.  Even if we can’t stop it—we don’t understand this technology.  We don’t understand the science of what is happening.  We don’t have any reason to believe that Sam couldn’t win out, or that they won’t eventually become some sort of hybrid that represents the strengths of both personalities.”

Kara felt her brow crinkle in frustration.  That’s not what she wanted.  She just wanted Sam back.  But Lena knew that.  Alex interrupted again.  “Lena, what are you and Kaziah working on?”

Lena’s posture tightened.  Kara wondered if she hadn’t meant to reveal that to the DEO yet.  Lena no doubt trusted Alex and Winn, but when it came to saving the people she loved, Kara knew that Lena preferred as little oversight as possible.  Lena confirmed Kara’s suspicions.  “That’s … not something I have any intention of sharing with the DEO, **_Agent Danvers_**.”

Alex’s hand went to her gun, probably subconsciously, but Kara was between them before either could make any sort of move.  “Not now!”  She glared at them both.  “Lena, I trust you.  And I trust Kaziah to help Sam.  Alex … this is personal.  We’ll keep the DEO in the loop, but they have no right to interfere with Lena’s work, done with Lena’s property and employees.  In order to save Lena’s family.”  Alex took her hand off her gun, keeping her eyes firmly on Kara.  She hated how high the tension in the room was right then.

Lena softened and stepped around Kara, placing a hand on Alex’s arm as the agent relaxed a little.  “But I’m happy to discuss it with my friend Alex outside of the DEO, okay?”

“Okay.  I’m sorry, Lena.  How can we help?”  Kara smiled softly at Alex, thankful for how far her relationship with Lena had come over time.

“Winn, I don’t think this is a tech issue.  You should stay here and keep analyzing Reign’s pod.  Figure out anything else you can.”  Winn nodded.  “Alex, if you can get away for a while, I could use your expertise at my lab.  Kaziah is there now.  Kara, you can fly us?” 

Kara looked at Alex for confirmation.  “Just let me go tell J’onn, and I’m all yours.”

~~~~

“Hey Vasquez, I was wondering if your friend might wanna hang out with me for a while.”  Ruby and Vasquez turned, and the girl’s face lit up. 

“Not sure I could hold her back if I wanted to, Supergirl.  Let me just check with Lena and be sure that’s okay.”  Vasquez winked at Kara as ey pulled out eir phone to ‘call Lena.’  Lena had already texted Vasquez to let em know Kara would be coming, but it was important to keep up pretenses with Ruby.

"Supergirl!  You really want to hang out with me?”  Ruby looked down at her feet, then glanced back up at Kara.  “I mean … I’m sure you’ve got robberies to stop or whatever.”

“None currently, in fact.  But I understand today has been pretty hard on you, and I thought you might want to talk about it.  With me, maybe.”  Playing the role of Supergirl in order to show Ruby a brave face was actually helping Kara hold herself together.  And as great as Vasquez was being, Kara wanted— ** _needed_** —to be here for Sam’s daughter right now.  She owed her that.  So, she displayed her brightest Supergirl smile and added, “Besides, flying gets lonely sometimes, and I was hoping you might keep me company.”

Kara thought for a second that Ruby might learn to fly on her own out of pure excitement.  “Of course!  I mean, I can definitely keep you company!  As long as it’s okay with Lena…”  She turned to Vasquez, who had just hung up eir phone.

“You’re good to go, kiddo.  Lena and Kara told me to tell you not to worry about your mom and to have fun.”  Ruby hugged Vasquez enthusiastically. 

“Thank you, Agent Vasquez.  If I can’t find Ms. Luthor or Ms. Danvers when we get back, should I come find you again?”

“I’ll be here, ma’am.”  Kara turned back to Ruby and knelt down so they were on the same level.

“Okay, so here are the rules, and you have to follow them or this won’t work.  Your mom would kill me if I let anything happen to you.  Deal?”

“You know my mom?!”  Ruby’s eyes were wide, and Kara couldn’t help but giggle.  She really was a superfan.

“She didn’t tell you?”  Kara made a faux scolding face.  “Your mom told me that you were a fan, and I told her that she should tell you how she helped me solve a case once.  I guess she didn’t want to brag, but she totally saved my butt once!”

“She did?!  How?”  Ruby sounded doubtful, and Kara felt a pang in her heart.  She wished she could explain to Ruby all the many ways in which her mom was every bit as amazing and awe-inspiring as Supergirl.

“Turns out math is super important sometimes!  Maybe if you’re good, your mom will tell you all about it when she gets better.  For now, I need you to agree to my rules, okay?”

“Anything, Supergirl!”

“Okay then.  First, you have to do whatever I tell you to, no questions asked.  If we get interrupted by a dangerous situation, I **_need_** to know I can trust you to stay out of harm’s way.’  Ruby nodded seriously.  “Good!  Also, I know that it will be tempting to tell all your friends about our hangout, but I need this to be our little secret, okay?”  Ruby seemed less sure about this one, so Supergirl fixed her with the full ‘this is really important to the safety of the world’ look.

Ruby conceded, sounding more than a little disappointed, “I promise.”

“Thank you, Ruby.  And it’s totally fine if you wanna talk all about it with Lena or Kara—they’re a part of my super secret Superfriends club.”  That brightened her face.

“Lastly, I need to know how you prefer to fly.”  Kara stood and put her fists on her hips in her classic Supergirl pose, and she looked down at Ruby expectantly.

“What do you mean?”

“Weeeell, I mean that I can carry you like this—” Kara picked her up with one arm around Ruby’s waist, so that they were more or less side by side, then placed her down delicately, “—or this—” Kara picked her up bridal style, before setting her down again.

“Definitely the first one, then it’s like I’m flying with you.”

“You got it, Ruby.  But you have to promise me that you won’t squirm or move too much, since I’ll have you in one arm instead of two.  You also have to be sure to hold onto my arm as firmly as possible.”

“Deal!” Ruby literally hopped in place, and Kara struggled to maintain her Supergirl poise and not slip into excited Kara mode.

“Let’s head out then!”  Kara walked her over to the balcony.  “You ready?”

“Ready!”  Kara wrapped her right arm around Ruby’s waist, holding her firmly but not too tightly.  Ruby grabbed Kara’s wrist and bicep tightly.  “Up, up, and away, Supergirl!”  Kara’s giggle was masked by the sound of her takeoff, and Ruby’s eyes grew even wider as they left the DEO behind them and the city spread out underneath them.  “Wow!  You get to do this everyday?”

“I sure do.  You’re not afraid of heights, I see.”  Ruby shook her head emphatically.  “How very brave of you!  Do you wanna know a secret?”  She nodded.  “Your mom’s friend Lena is terrified of heights.  I had to save her from a fall once, and it took her forever to agree to go flying with me again.  Even now, she usually refuses to open her eyes.”

“But Lena’s always so brave!  She’s the most courageous person I know!”  Ruby’s cheeks turned pink, then she added bashfully, “I mean, you’re courageous too, Supergirl.”

Ruby’s crush on Lena—and that’s what Kara was sure it was—was beyond adorable.  “No no, you’re totally right!  Ms. Luthor is incredibly brave, and she has helped me save the world several times.” 

Ruby interrupted, “Right!  She saved us all from the Daxamites!”

“She did!  Your mom is lucky to have a friend like Lena.  Ms. Danvers, too.”  A thought occurred to Kara.  “Hey!  I want to show you something.”  She altered their flight path, taking them up through the clouds.  Ruby shivered as they passed through, and Kara pulled her a little closer.  “I’m sorry little human, I should have insisted that you wear a bigger coat.  I’ll take us back down to warmer air quickly, I promise.”  Kara hovered maybe ten or fifteen feet above the cloud coverage, and suddenly it was like they were on a different world.  The sun was a golden orange, reflecting in brilliant and subtle ways off the fluffy clouds that formed a sort of heavenly ground beneath them.  Ruby took the view in silently, in awe of a sight so few humans saw except in brief flashes through a tiny airplane window.  Then she started to shiver again, and Kara knew it was time to head back.

“Close your eyes, and trust me, okay Ruby?”  Ruby’s eyes immediately closed.  “Okay, here we go.”  Kara immediately took a nosedive, fast enough for it to be thrilling for Ruby but not nearly as fast as she would normally dive.  “Okay, open your eyes!”  Ruby’s yell was immediate in its shock and exhilaration, as the city rushed up to meet them.  Kara halted their fall just above the L-Corp building, checking quickly for the sound of Lena and Alex’s heartbeats to see if they were still there working on the modified kryptonite project.  Confirming their presence, she turned her attention back to the ecstatic teen in her arm.

“Supergirl that was amazing!  Like the best rollercoaster ever!!”

“You like rollercoasters?”

“Love them!  I only just got tall enough to ride the really good ones, and I’m always bugging Mom to take me.” 

“Rollercoasters are a ton of fun, I’ll give you that.  Did you know that we didn’t have anything like rollercoasters on my planet when I was your age?”

“You didn’t?  Really?!  That sucks.  Krypton, right?”

“That’s right, little human.  What else do you know about me?”  Kara was genuinely curious.

“Well … you’re Superman’s younger cousin.”

“Actually—”  _Crap._ Kara had started to correct Ruby without thinking it out first.  “Ruby, can you keep another secret?”  Kara was flying them towards the Vincent Thomas Bridge, but she looked over at Ruby to confirm that she would keep Supergirl’s confidence.  “I’m actually older than him.”

“Really?!  How?”  Ruby’s voice was full of wonder and curiosity, and Kara’s heart leapt into her throat.  She could hear Sam’s voice in her daughter’s. 

“That’s … complicated.  When we left Krypton, I was your age, but Superman was just a baby.  We were in separate pods, but mine got knocked off course.  I got trapped in a place called the Phantom Zone, where time never passes.  When I finally got out of there and made my way to Earth, no time had passed for me, but two decades had passed for Superman.  So while I was born first, when I got to Earth it was like he was physically eleven years older than me.”

“That’s so weird.”

“ ** _So_** weird.”  They had arrived at the bridge, and she sat them down on one of the big spires holding the suspension bridge up.  This was her favourite view of the sunset in National City, and she wanted to share it with Ruby.  “Be careful sitting here.  I know you’re not afraid of heights, but are you okay?”

“More than okay.”  Kara could almost feel the joy and admiration radiating off Ruby. 

“Good.  Hit me with some more of that Supergirl trivia.”  Ruby looked around them, face working through a series of thoughts.  Then she started, having a sudden realization.

“This is **_it_** , isn’t it?  The bridge where…”

“Where I caught that plane, the night I first revealed myself to the world.  Yup!”  Kara was impressed with Ruby’s knowledge.

“So … why then?  Why **_that_** plane?”

Supergirl raised an eyebrow.  “What?  A girl can’t just want to save a crashing plane?”

“Well, I mean, duh!  You’re Supergirl, of course you would have saved them.  But you didn’t do any big heroic stuff before then.  And you didn’t wear the suit or go by ‘Supergirl’ until after that.  So … what changed?”  Kara had to work to make sure she didn’t let any of her discomfort show.  She hadn’t figured Ruby would ask her that, and it was a difficult story to tell for an alien trying to hide her secret identity from her girlfriend’s daughter.

“Honestly, Ruby, I can’t really say.  I just … I saw the plane crashing on the news, and I couldn’t just let all those people die.”  She paused, thinking through her next words.  “Ever since I came to Earth, everyone told me I would be safer if I stayed hidden, learned to fit in.  My cousin especially, he would always tell me how difficult it was to live the life of a hero.  To be in danger all the time, and potentially put the people you care about in danger.” 

Supergirl looked into Ruby’s eyes, wondering if she could understand what Kara meant—if she had any idea that she was secretly one of those people Supergirl cared so deeply about.  There was compassion in the girl’s features, along with a solemnity that surprised Kara. 

“But … when you can do the sorts of things I can do, it’s hard.  It’s so hard not to help.  And eventually, I couldn’t stay hidden anymore.  This city needed me, and I needed to stop hiding from who I really was.”  She put her arm around Ruby.  “But that’s why it is also important that today stay between us.  Hanging out with Supergirl puts you in danger.  My friendship with Ms. Luthor and Ms. Danvers puts them in danger.  I need you to help me keep them safe, okay Ruby?”

“I get it.  I guess … I never really thought about how hard that must be.”

“Nor should you have to, little human.  Supergirl is a beacon of hope.  When you see me streaking through the sky, I want you to think about all the good in the world.  The good in yourself.  We’re all a hero, in our own way.  But my burdens are for me to worry about, not you.  I just needed you to know how important my secrets are, and how much trust I am giving you.”  She stuck out her pinky.  “Promise me a solemn vow here today that you will not betray my secrets.  That you will protect me and my Superfriends.” 

Ruby smiled brightly, then fixed her face into a more serious look as she wrapped her own pinky around Supergirl’s and squeezed.  “I promise.”

Kara smiled warmly.  “Well then, little human, welcome to the club.  Now let’s get you back to the DEO.”

~~~~

Lena was trying to relax, but she could tell by the feel of Kara’s worried gaze boring into her that she was failing dramatically.  “Sweetie, your heartbeat sounds so weird right now.”  Lena looked up over her book and fixed Kara with a raised eyebrow.  She thought about brushing aside Kara’s worry, but she knew better by now.  Honesty was important, especially in difficult times.  Even still, Lena didn’t quite mean to be **_this honest_**.

“Darling.  I spent my day manipulating space rocks to try to create an element that will ideally exorcize an evil alien personality from my best friend’s subconscious.  Now, I’m trying to get comfortable in said best friend’s bed with my girlfriend because we’re keeping an eye on said best friend’s daughter.  Because Sam is currently on the run, and quite possibly out there murdering bad people as we speak.  Meanwhile, I’m in a strange bed doing my best to relax, even though I’m also well aware that it isn’t a strange bed to you.  You’ve slept in this bed before, just not with me, and now we’re here together, and Ruby is down the hall.  And all the while, I’m also trying not to think about the time that best friend’s evil personality kicked the utter shit out of you.”  Lena took a deep breath after getting out that lengthy stream of consciousness.  “So yes, I would imagine my everything is a bit weird right now.

Kara plucked the book from Lena’s hands, then kissed her forehead.  “That’s fair.  I’m sorry.  I’m so so sorry, creampuff.”  The held each other’s gaze for a long while, communicating everything and nothing in silence.  Lena didn’t want to burden Kara any further, but she wasn’t in position to hide the overwhelming emotions that threatened to tear her apart right then.  Lena felt so helpless—she didn’t know how to comfort Kara when she was a half-step from completely falling apart herself.  She lifted a hand to gently stroke Kara’s cheek.  Just as Lena was distracting herself with thoughts of how beautiful Kara was, barefaced and with her hair in a messy bun on top of her head, Kara’s face lit up with an idea, and she placed a finger to Lena’s nose.  “Stay.”  She disappeared for less than a minute before she was right back next to Lena in bed.  “Do you trust me?”

 “Kara, of course I do.”  _Where is she going with this?_

 “Close your eyes.”  Lena did as she was told, and immediately she felt her tank top disappear.  “Now, lay down on your stomach.” 

 Lena laid down, bending her arms up and under her head.  “Darling, it’s been a long stressful day for both of us, do you think maybe the red sun lamps would be a good idea?”

“Shh shh.  You said you trusted me.” 

“Just a suggestion.  I know you would never hurt me.”  Kara poured the warm massage oils onto Lena’s bare back, and Lena could already tell that this was exactly what she needed tonight.  Kara’s strong hands along her shoulder blades produced an immediate moan, and Lena cut it short in a gasp of embarrassment.  Kara chuckled at her.  “Sorry, love, I’ll try to contain my enthusiasm.  Wouldn’t want to disturb the child.”

Lena settled in as Kara performed a series of heavenly acts up and down Lena’s spine.  Kara chattered away as she worked.  “Supergirl took Ruby out flying today.  I think it’s just what she needed to get her mind off Sam.”  Kara leaned closer to Lena’s ear, lowering her voice.  “She was much braver about heights than certain other people I know.”  Lena jokingly tried to bite Kara on the tip of her adorable nose.  “Hmmm, someone is touchy about something.  Maybe I should get a little touchier myself.”  Kara moved her hands lower down Lena’s back, drawing a guarded hiss of pleasure.

Kara continued to work Lena’s tired muscles, but asked jokingly, “Can you believe Winn suggested that J’onn try to pose as Sam with Ruby?”  Lena blew out a deep breath as Kara pushed down on her back.

“She’d have made him in under a minute, I guarantee that.  J’onn is many things, but an actor he is not.  Ruby’s … perceptive, and no one knows Sam better than her daughter.  But—” Lena moaned again quietly, “—I think she’s doing okay, all things considered.  Supergirl really made her day.”  Lena grabbed Kara’s hand, and turned up enough to pull Kara down into a passionate kiss.  “Thank you for doing that, love.  I know it can’t be easy for you to play the part of peppy superhero right now.”

Kara kissed her back just as passionately, then pushed her back down onto the bed.  She took Lena’s right arm into her hands and continued her ministrations.  “It was actually really healing for me as well.  It was nice to get out of my head.  Sometimes I forget how so many people see Supergirl, and how much fun it can be to spend time with a fan.  Well, one fan at least.  And—”  Kara kissed Lena’s knuckles as she reached the end of Lena’s arm, “—there’s so much of Sam in her.”  Lena’s heart broke a little at the sorrow in Kara’s voice.

She switched over to Lena’s left arm, and Lena said, “Maggie dropped by L-Corp while you were out with Ruby.  She suggested it might be a good idea to have the NCPD looking out for Sam.”  Lena felt Kara tense, but only for a moment.  “Don’t worry, we all agreed it wasn’t a good idea.  I’m not sure it’s a good idea for the public to know that Samantha Arias is missing, and even if an officer were to catch her in a moment of clarity, we don’t want them putting themselves at risk of pissing off Reign.  Maggie’s on our side, love.  She gets it.”

Kara’s voice was distant, even though her hands never left Lena’s body.  “If you and Kaziah get this figured out, it might not be a bad idea.  Assuming you can get the kryptonite right … we’ll need a way to draw her out again.  We should keep our options open at least.”  Lena felt a warm drop of something other than massage oil fall onto her elbow, and she immediately pushed herself up and turned to embrace Kara.  Placing a hand on the back of Kara’s head and pulling her into the crook of Lena’s neck, she used her other hand to stroke the blonde’s back softly. 

“I’ve got you.  I’m here.”  She kissed the side of Kara’s head softly and kept rubbing her back.  “Shhh.  I’m here.  It’s okay.  We’re close to figuring this out.  We’re close.  We’ll get her back.  I’ll bring her back to you, I promise.  I promise, love.”  Kara continued to cry silently onto Lena’s neck, taking a moment her and there to kiss Lena softly.  Then sat there in each other’s arms for a long time, until Lena could feel Kara’s body start to go limp.  She eased her back on to the bed, stroking a loose strand of hair from her face.  Lena turned off the bedside lamp and whispered, “Let’s get you to bed, Supergirl.  It’s been a long day.”  Kara’s eyes opened for the briefest moment, hazy but warm.  Lena kissed her forehead and tucked her in.

She was tempted to leave Kara there, to take her laptop into the living room and try to keep working on her experiment.  Lena had a feeling she wouldn’t be getting much sleep that night.  But she knew that Kara would need her.  The nightmares were easier when she was in Lena’s arms all night.  Lena slipped her tank top back on and padded over to the bathroom to pee and brush her teeth.  She did her best to ignore the overly prominent dark circles under her eyes as she came face to face with her mirrored self, and she noticed a small picture of Sam and Ruby next to the sink.  She picked it up, eyes tracing Sam’s features.

 _I need you to come back to us, love.  She needs you._   Lena sighed, unable to avoid the truth of her own emotions.  _For all of my fears and all of my anger … I need you, too._ She set the photograph back down in its place by the sink and turned off the light.  Then she walked as quietly as possible around the bed and climbed in, pulling Kara tight to her body.  _Sleep tight, darling._


	29. An End to the Reign of Terror

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena's weapon against Reign is ready. Meanwhile Sam battles her inner demon.

** Chapter 29 **

Kara, Alex, Maggie, J’onn, Winn, and Vasquez followed Lena out of the elevator and into the hallway of the third basement level of L-Corp.  Lena had met them in the lobby and escorted them down—you needed a key card just to get the elevator to come down to this level, and there was a biometric lock that had to be unlocked before the doors would open.  They walked to the end of the hall to Lena’s personal lab, which had its own biometric lock that would open only for Lena, Kara, and select few others.  Kaziah was waiting for them inside.

“Holy wow, Lena, this is one hell of a science lair!”  Winn was in awe, and Lena felt an immediate pang of pride for the lab she had designed herself.  In some ways it was the reverse of her penthouse office.  The lab was a large open space, like a highly advanced hangar or bunker, with dark stained concrete floors.  The surfaces were shades of black and charcoal, as the glossy black surfaces of the cabinets and mounted screens complemented the dark greys of the metal work spaces.  Many of the cabinets and workspaces were lined with subtle neon purple accents and backlights, giving the lab a hyper-modern stylish glamour.  And of course, it had any and all equipment Lena could possibly ever need—advanced robotics, welding equipment, smaller enclosed testing spaces, and a whole wall of chemistry equipment.  A door in the far corner led to the attached server room; the computers in Lena’s lab had incredible processing power.  Two larger doors on another wall opened up to a series of storage areas, where Lena kept parts, chemicals, supplies, and other equipment.  Tables and desks and workspaces of a variety of sorts were scattered around the room, several of them completely mobile.  The entire space was well-lit by the white light of the industrial lamps hanging from overhead, but there were several smaller standing lamps and desk lamps that allowed for a little more ambiance to the space, when Lena was in the mood for it.

“As impressive as this workspace may be, I trust you brought us here for a reason, Ms. Luthor?”  Lena appreciated that J’onn wanted to get straight to the point.  It had been three days since Reign escaped from the DEO, and in the past couple, she had become more active.  Not only were there scattered sightings of the Worldkiller, but she was making her presence known around the city.  The bodies of her victims were no longer left where they fell.  She had taken to displaying them in prominent public spaces, accompanied with her sigil burned into the ground in front of the bodies.  Fear was spreading, and Kara had grown increasingly stressed out about her inability to help assuage the terror taking hold of the city.  The DEO had also received reports of murders matching Reign’s usual modus operandi in cities and towns surrounding National City for hundreds of miles.  They needed a solution, and Lena hoped that she had finally perfected it.

“Indeed I did, Director J’onzz.”  Lena walked across the room to a seemingly innocuous workstation that didn’t stand out from any of the lab’s other stations in any obvious ways.  She reached under it for the button hidden four inches back on the left third of the desk.  It opened a hidden panel on the right side of the desk that held another biometric lock.  Lena sat, placing her right hand on the lock and looking directly at the wide screen monitor on the desk.  Once the scans were finished, she quietly spoke the password, “Argo,” Lena smiled softly as she always did when she said the name of Kara’s birth city, then turned and walked to where the large floor panel between her and the rest of the group revealed itself, her secret vault rising out of the floor.  “I brought you here for this.”   She and Kaziah exchanged supportive nods, and Lena typed in the passcode on the front panel of the vault. 

As she withdrew the small vial of viscous black liquid, she explained, “This, hopefully, is our answer to stopping Reign.”  She turned and caught Kara’s eye as she sat the vial carefully into the foam interior of the lead-lined briefcase she had designed specifically to hold it.  “I had an idea when Kara explained to me how the DEO modified kryptonite for use against the bizarro clone.  In its natural green state, kryptonite is poisonous to Kryptonians, but multiple different individuals and entities have been able to modify kryptonite into altered synthetic forms that have various surprising effects.”

“Like Max’s red kryptoni—”  Winn cut himself off, shooting Kara an apologetic look as he realized that he would’ve been better off leaving that particular experiment unmentioned. 

“Or Rhea’s silver kryptonite,” Kara offered, avoiding the gaze of the rest of the group.  Lena sighed, hating that Kara still lived with the guilt of the ‘red K incident.’

“Actually, love, the silver kryptonite appears to be natural, as best Kaziah and I could tell.” 

Alex’s response was immediate and tense.  “You have silver kryptonite?” 

“I recovered a variety of kryptonite samples from the downed Daxamite ships.  They are secure, Alex, I promise.  And yes, silver kryptonite was among them, and thank all the gods for that.  You see—” she gestured to the vial, “—Ziah and I have been able to synthesize black kryptonite that we hypothesize should be able to separate and eradicate the Reign personality from Sam’s body.”

Lena was met with a good ten to fifteen seconds of silence before Kara whispered, “How do you know Reign is the one who will be eliminated?  Lena … how can you be sure?”

Lena glanced at Kaziah, who took over the presentation.  “In short, Kara Zor-El, we do not.  There is simply no way to test it—it should only work on a Kryptonian with a strong split personality, and as far as we know, there is only one of those.  However, I am confident in our work—I would estimate that there is at least an 83 percent chance that we are correct about what this particular strain of kryptonite will accomplish.  If you would like, I can walk you through our process in creating it.  The core components are silver kryptonite and an ion-reversed form of red kryptonite, and we—”

“No, Kaziah, thank you.  That’s fine.”  Kara’s voice was weak, scared. 

Lena walked to her and placed a hand on each arm.  “Kara, this is our best shot.”  She glanced over at J’onn.  “Unless the DEO has come up with a better idea?”

“We have not,” he answered immediately.  “We’re not even entirely sure we could kill her, if it came to that.”

Kara’s sad blue eyes looked up at Lena, and she could tell Kara was struggling to accept what had to be done.  Lena tried to soothe her.  “So, you see? This is it, Supergirl.  83 percent—those are good odds.   We’re going to get our girl back.”

“This stuff is safe to have around Kara?”

“Quite safe, Agent Danvers.  It is a very rare and precise strain.  As I said, it should only affect Reign and other Worldkillers like her, assuming any others survived Krypton’s destruction.” 

I must say, this is truly excellent work, Ms. Luthor.  Ms. Dox.”  J’onn gave them both a genuine smile.  “As much as I would prefer that you trust the DEO with your stores of kryptonite, I doubt we could have accomplished this.  We are in L-Corp’s debt.”

“Assuming it works,” Alex remarked snidely.  Lena knew Alex was still annoyed that she refused to relinquish the kryptonite to the DEO.  Kara shot Alex a look, which earned her nothing more than an apathetic shrug.

“I appreciate the kind words, Director J’onzz.  Now—” she kept one hand on Kara’s arm as she turned to face the entire group, “—we have given you a weapon.  I leave it to the tacticians in the room to devise the best plan for using it.”  Then she remembered an important detail she forgot to mention and raised an index finger.  “Sorry, there is one more thing.  You won’t be able to use kryptonite in this battle, except as the absolute last resort.  There’s no way to know how Reign’s body will react to having both strains in her system.  Natural kryptonite might weaken the effect of the black kryptonite.  It might kill her outright, for all we know.”

“And I’m not letting any of you kill her, unless there is no other choice.”  The steel was back in Kara’s voice, and her fists were balled tightly at her sides. 

“Kara, it won’t come to that,” Alex reassured her.  “But we need to be prepared.”

J’onn cleared his throat, then turned the discussion back to the task of developing a plan of action.  “I don’t imagine that we’ll draw Reign in by faking a Livewire attack again.  Detective Sawyer, would it be possible for the DEO and NCPD to work together in keeping an eye out around the city for Reign?  There would need to be strict orders not to engage, only to report her location to DEO headquarters.”

“Yeah, I think I can swing that.  I’ll need to clear it with my superiors, and the ‘FBI’ might need to talk to the commissioner herself if we want to cast as wide a net as possible.  But I’m happy to run point and liaise on behalf of the NCPD until we find her.”  J’onn nodded, then leaned back against the wall, hand to his chin as he continued to ponder strategy.  While he did that, Alex raised another question.

“Lena, are you sure that injecting a liquid form of the black kryptonite is the most effective method of exposure?”  It was a good question.  Lena gestured to Kaziah to answer it.

“Quite sure, Agent Danvers.  We considered multiple options, but injecting the substance directly into her bloodstream is the most efficient means of ensuring that it has its full effect.   Technically having her inhale a gaseous form of the substance would be the fastest way to have the black kryptonite reach her brain, but there is a much greater difficulty in administering it that way.”

“Thank you, Kaziah.”  Alex looked at J’onn, then Kara.  “So who is going to do it?”

“J’onn has the best shot at catching her by surprise,” Kara answered immediately.  “I will be the first on the scene, and I will distract her.  J’onn can phase in while she is focused on me and inject the black kryptonite.”

“That works,” J’onn agreed.  “But, I want to get a full DEO team in place before we engage with Reign.  If this doesn’t work, I’m not risking your life again.  We’ll throw everything we’ve got at her.”

Vasquez spoke up timidly.  “Look … I already know how this is going to sound, and Kara please don’t melt my face off for saying it.”  Kara’s eyes narrowed menacingly, and Lena placed a steading arm around her waist.  She had a pretty good idea what Vasquez was about to suggest.  “We caught Reign once, and when she woke up … she was Sam.”

“NO!”  Kara shouted, her eyes developing a distinctly orange tint.  Lena squeezed, and rubbed her arm. 

Lena whispered, “Kara, calm down.  Vasquez is your friend.” 

Kara didn’t turn her glare away from the diminutive DEO agent, but her eyes returned to their normal blue.  “Sam is innocent!  She’s a victim in all this.  If you think I’m just going to let you murder her—”

“Kara, what would Sam want?”  Alex’s tone was caring but firm.  “Let’s say this black kryptonite doesn’t work, but we’re able to capture Reign again.  You know how she would make this decision.  You know she wouldn’t want any more blood on her hands.  She would sacrifice herself for the world.  You know she would, and you … sweetie, you need to respect her decision, if that’s the one she makes in that instance.”

Lena’s own mind was playing out the war of words between Kara and the DEO agents in miniature.  She wasn’t sure where Reign ended and Sam began anymore.  She wasn’t even sure that she would ever be able to see her best friend the same way again, regardless whether they were able to save her.  It would be beyond painful to lose her, but it might ultimately be for the greater good.  _But Kara has lost so much already.  What if she can’t handle it?  What if she never recovers?  Am I really okay with sacrificing my own family for the good of the world?  Even if I’m okay with it—could I really let it happen?_ Lena legitimately did not know how to feel about any of this, which is why she was deferring to the others.  While she had pondered things, the argument between Kara and Vasquez had escalated, and she knew that she had to intervene.

“Kara, stop.”  Lena stepped between them, facing Kara.  She took Kara’s face in her hands, shutting out the rest of the room.  “Don’t worry about what ifs.  This is going to work, okay?  Trust me.  Trust Kaziah.  Trust that Sam is strong enough to rid herself of this monster.”  Kara’s face was tight with anger and terror, but Lena could see her relaxing into Lena’s touch.  “Darling.  Focus on Sam.  Focus on the plan.  Fighting with Vasquez isn’t going to help us.  It isn’t going to help **_her_**.”  Lena pressed her forehead to Kara’s.  “Let it go.”  As Kara exhaled forcefully, Lena knew she had gotten through.

J’onn took the opportunity to take back control of the situation.  “I believe we have a plan then.  If anyone has any further questions—” he looked around the room, seeking any additional concerns and failing to find any, “—well then, Detective Sawyer, find out how soon we can get the joint DEO-NCPD policy in place, and we’ll go from there.”

Maggie nodded, and they all looked at Lena expectantly.  _Oh right, this is still my show, kind of._ “If everyone would be so kind, I’d like to stay behind and talk to Kara alone.  You shouldn’t have any trouble finding your way to the elevator and back up to the lobby.”  She caught Kaziah’s hand before the Coluan could follow the rest of the group out of the lab.  “Thank you for everything, darling.  I couldn’t have done this without you.”

Kaziah warmly placed a hand on Lena’s arm, then reached out with her other and brushed Kara’s hand behind her ear, leaving the hand on her cheek.  “There is nothing to thank me for, Lena.  Samantha is one of my dearest friends on this planet or any other.  I would do anything to save her life.  Kara Zor-El, you must have faith that she will return to us.  I know for certain that Samantha would die before she lost such faith in you.”  She withdrew her hands and took a step back.  “Take care of each other.  I believe that this ordeal will be over soon.”  She nodded affectionately to them both, then left the room.

Almost immediately, Kara broke down in Lena’s arms.  Lena eased them both to the cold floor, which she found oddly comforting against her bare legs.  Kara had never felt this fragile before.  She held the hero in her arms, much in the same way she had two nights earlier in Sam’s bed, but it felt entirely different with Kara wearing the full Supergirl regalia.  Part of her wondered if Lillian or Lena could see this version of Supergirl—but no, no, Lena knew better.  Ultimately, Kara Zor-El was more human than Lena’s mother or brother would ever be.  And Lena was determined to be the hero she needed in this moment of crisis. 

~~~~

Sam woke up in the Reign suit.  “Fuck.  Fuck, shit.  Goddammit!”  She was standing in a massive cave-like chamber.  It was dark, but warm, and oddly familiar.  She screamed out all of her terror and frustration and pure, unfiltered rage at the unfairness of her situation.  As she let it all out, she slammed a fist into the odd crystalline rock of the nearby wall.  She was surprised to find that the impact only hurt mildly, and her fist left a significant dent in the wall.  _What the fuck?_

She felt different, more alive.  It was as if her entire being had been numb and moving at half speed her entire life up until this moment.  She could tell just by the way the air felt around her, along with the heat and relative lack of ambient noise for miles, that she was in the desert.  Her eyes refocused, and she found that she could see through the walls of this fortress—she could see for miles in any direction. 

 _Is this what life is like for Kara all the time?  Why do I have Reign’s powers all of the sudden?  And where I am?_   She turned around and came face to face with a hologram of a woman in a dark cloak.  “What the fuck is this place?  Who are you?”

“Samantha Arias, you are returned.  How … unfortunate.”  _Returned?_  Memories flashed through her mind, incomplete and out of order.  _Shit, I’ve been here before._   This was where Sam came with the crystal that first day after she awakened her pod.  _Why am I remembering these things now?  Why do I have powers?_

“What is going on here?  How did I get here?  Why do I have powers now?”  She needed answers.  Now.

The hologram’s eyes narrowed.  “I would not concern yourself with these trivial questions, Samantha.  You will not survive much longer.” 

“Fuck that.  I’m not going anywhere.  Tell me what is happening to me.” 

“You are merely a vessel.  Reign is becoming that which she was always meant to be.  You have powers now because the human chrysalis is being consumed as Reign’s apotheosis comes to fruition.  You are a skin she is shedding.  Nothing more.”

“So … I’m no longer human?”

“No, it would appear not.  The human façade is no longer necessary.  This form is no longer yours.  It is hers.”  Sam’s heart sank.  In the back of her mind, she had thought that if nothing else, Reign could be stopped by … Sam’s own death.  That was apparently off the table now, since there was no longer any human form of Reign.  At least, not if this hologram was to be trusted.  Some selfish part of her couldn’t help but feel relieved.  Regardless, she wasn’t going to give up.

“What makes you so sure that Reign will be able to get rid of me?”

“I confess, your personality was much stronger than the creators of the Worldkillers anticipated.  You have been allowed to delay Reign’s becoming far longer than should have been possible.  But your destruction is inevitable.  You are a fiction created to allow Reign’s safe maturation on a hostile world.  You cannot possibly overcome the inevitability of her full control over this form.”

 _No.  Lena will solve this.  And I’m not letting this parasite steal my life.  I don’t care if she’s some super-Kryptonian god or whatever. **I’ll**_ _be the super-Kryptonian god.  I’m not leaving Ruby without her mother.  Never._

“You may have all the information about this Worldkiller, but you don’t know me.  You don’t know my family.  We will find a way to stop you.  To stop **_her._**   I’m gonna go warn my friends about what is happening, then I’m coming back her to destroy this shithole of a fortress.  See how Reign does without her supercomputer hologram to direct her actions.”

“You will not remain in control long enough to pose any threat to this place, Samantha Arias.  Do as you will.”  The hologram shut off abruptly.  _Fuck you, too._   Sam had to get back to National City.  She had to warn Kara and Lena, give them this new information.  Lena had promised she would find a solution, but Sam had no idea how much time had passed since Reign apparently escaped from the DEO.  And she didn’t know how much time she had before Reign came back.

 _I’ve gotta go, **now**.  _ Sam looked around her, considering the entryway to the chamber before settling on a different idea.  _I’ve always wanted to do this._ Taking a breath to steady herself, she tensed her entire body, willing herself into the air.  And just like that, her feet lifted off the ground.  _Holy shit!_   She could control the movement of her body through the air just by thinking it.  Willing it.  Closing her eyes, she focused, then raised her right fist in the air above her.  Channeling the full force of her willpower, she rocketed straight up and through the roof of the fortress and then out in the warm, dry air.  _I’m coming, Kara._

~~~~

“Kara, we found her.”  She jumped slightly as Alex’s message over the comms caught her off guard.  But Kara was out the door of CatCo immediately, taking only an extra couple of seconds to leave a note on Cat’s desk to cover for her if need be. 

“Where?”

There was a moment’s pause before Alex softly answered, “The roof of L-Corp.” 

“Is Lena okay?”  Kara’s heart was in her throat, and she was nearly to the roof before Alex’s response came through.

“Yes.  I warned her, but Reign hasn’t moved from the roof.  We’re not sure what she is playing at Kara, be careful.  J’onn is on his way, and the full DEO team should be in position in ten minutes.”  Kara touched down softly, maybe ten feet in front of Reign. 

“This has to end, Reign!”  She kept her voice steady, having already planned ahead on how to try and stall the Worldkiller long enough for everyone to get into place.  But she hadn’t expected that when the dark figure looked across at her she would be met with soft brown eyes instead of glowing red ones.  She gasped and took a step back, her stomach fluttering nervously.

“Kara?  Don’t be afraid.  It’s me.”  Gone was the harsh metallic edge to her voice.  Her posture was likewise changed-still confident, but softer.  Kara could easily read the anguish and confusion in Sam’s— _yes, **Sam’s**_ —body language.

“Sam?”

The dark figure took a step, then another, towards Kara.  Softly.  Cautiously.  “Kara, it’s me.  I don’t know how much longer I’ll be in control, so I need you to listen.”  Kara couldn’t stand it any longer.  She had Sam in her arms in an instant, despite the warning.

“Sam!  How is this possible?  How did you—”

Sam pulled away, grabbing Kara by the shoulders.  “Babe!  I’m serious, I don’t know how much longer I can hold out.  I can feel her fighting me for control right now.”  Kara’s stomach turned.  “Kara … I’m not human anymore.  I mean… if I ever was.  I’m fully Kryptonian now.  It feels like one way or another, this battle between me and Reign for control over my body is coming to an end soon.  I thought … Kara, I was ready to sacrifice myself if that’s what it took.”  Kara felt the tears falling down her cheeks already, and she shook her head in savage defiance of that possibility.  “I know, love.  I know.  I’m sorry.  But it doesn’t look like that’s a possibility anymore anyway—”

Sam tensed, then doubled over.  Her fists were tight on her knees as she fought with her inner demon.  “Sam!”  Kara took a knee and grabbed Sam by the shoulder.  “Sam!  Don’t go!  Fight her!  I’m here with you.  I believe in you!”  Sam’s breathing was ragged and her whole body was tight with effort.  She looked up at Kara, and the red glow was slight but noticeable around the warm brown of Sam’s irises. 

“Kara, I trust you.  I know Lena’s working on something.  I just needed you to know she has to hurry.”  She doubled over again, then leaned back as a rough scream of pain escaped her throat.  “I … I will never stop fighting.  I love you. Please, Kara, please… take care of Ru—” She screamed again, and Kara wrapped her tightly in her arms. 

“I will, Sam.  I will. I promise.  But we’re getting you back.”  She could sense J’onn’s presence, but there was someone else on the roof too.  A brief expansion of her senses told Kara that the DEO team wasn’t in place yet.  “I love you—” Sam’s body tensed again, then she extended her arms forcefully in front of her to break Kara’s embrace and drive her back several feet.  Reign stood to her full height and glared down with sheer fury in her red eyes.

“Love?  What nonsense.  Supergirl, you were **_in love_** with my human disguise?  How could you not see that she is beneath you?  That she is a mere fiction?”  Her voice was rough and taunting.  Kara floated back to her feet and faced the Worldkiller defiantly.  “I knew you were weak, but I had no idea.”

“You couldn’t possibly understand how powerful love truly is.  You’re a monster.  And your reign of terror will be over soon.”

Reign smirked.  “Kara Zor-El, I have defeated you once already.  You attacked me with a full complement of warriors and the best weapons you could muster, and you only just barely managed to contain me for a few hours.  You can’t possibly believe you can stop me.”

“You may have defeated me one-on-one, but I learned my lesson.  Supergirl is more than just me.  I have the support of my friends and family, and I stand for the hope of the people of this planet.  I’m stronger than you in ways you cannot fathom.  And I am not the only one you have to contend with.  Your external battle may be with me, but I know that Sam will prove more than your match in the war for your soul.”

“Soul?  What nonsense.  Your Samantha is nothing more than a memory, you just haven’t realized it yet.”  Before Kara could blink, Reign tackled her, driving her roughly into the roof and closing both hands forcefully around Kara’s neck.  “I will give you this, **_Supergirl_**.”  She spat the name out mockingly.  “You have become quite an annoyance.  And I will tolerate it no longer.  Today is the day you draw your last breath.”  Kara was in agony, and she could feel Reign literally squeezing the life out of her.  Then a familiar voice rang out.

“Reign!  Unhand her.”  Reign smiled knowingly down at Kara and relaxed her grip as she turned to look over her shoulder.

“Lena Luthor, so kind of you to join us.  Just in time for your girlfriend’s execution.  In time, you will come to understand what a momentous day this is for you.  I see now that Kara is holding you back from your full potential.  You will hate me at first, but as my new world begins to take shape, you will evolve to see things my way.”

Lena was undeterred, and if Kara’s voice was working right now, she would shout at her to run away.  She couldn’t believe Lena was placing herself in danger like this.  It was **_not_** part of the plan.  “I can promise you this, Reign.  If you kill Kara, I will never join you.”  She took a step forward confidently, despite being completely unarmed and unarmoured.  “I confess that you’re not wrong about human society.  You may even be right about the extreme measures that will be necessary to bring true justice to this society.  But I could never, ever collaborate with the person who murdered my love in cold blood.  Imprison her if you must.  But please, spare her.  She will come around one day.”

Reign stood and faced away from Kara.  “If you believe that, you are hopelessly naïve.  It is true that I desire your companionship in my mission, but do not confuse me for your precious Samantha.  I will not be moved by sentiment.  You are a remarkable human, Lena, but you will not deter me from wiping out the greatest single threat to my reign here.”  She turned back to Kara.  “And you cannot stop me.”

The Worldkiller’s hands were again around her throat, lifting her off the ground.  Kara’s hands met Reign’s and struggled against the chokehold.  She gasped, “Sam—f—fight her.”  For the briefest of moments, red eyes flashed brown and the grip loosened.  But it was only a moment, and Kara was beginning to see spots in her vision as her brain fought to stay conscious. 

“Enough!” came the hoarse shout from behind Reign, and Kara felt the vice around her throat release.  She crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath.  As her vision cleared, she saw J’onn standing over Reign’s body as it spasmed and twitched forcefully.  Kara was at her side immediately, and it took Lena only seconds to run over and fall to her knees on the other side of the dark figure writhing between them.  After a few moments, Sam’s— _Reign’s?_ —body went rigid, and her back arched up.  Her eyes shot open, and Kara and Lena both recoiled as a rancid black mist emitted from her pores.  Then her body slumped back to the ground and stilled.

“Sam!”  Kara checked for a pulse and found none.  She placed her hands on Sam’s chest.  “She’s not breathing!”  Kara immediately began to perform CPR, shoving her flattened hands forcefully and in rhythm against Sam’s chest before closing her nostrils and breathing life back into her lungs.  She repeated the process several times, her mind focused only on reviving her girlfriend as the rest of the world faded away into irrelevance.  Finally, air forced its way out of Sam’s mouth, and her chest began to move up and down again of its own accord.

“Oh, thank god,” Lena whispered.  Sam’s eyes shot open, and they were definitely Sam’s eyes again.  They shifted back and forth fearfully, and Sam appeared confused and uncertain of her surroundings.  Then her gaze stopped on Lena, and she took a deep breath.  Smiling, she turned next to Kara and breathed a sigh of relief.  Kara pulled her up and into her arms tightly, one arm around Sam’s lower back and the other pressed firmly to the back of her head. 

“It’s okay, Sam.  You’re okay.  I’ve got you.  You’re safe now.”  She pulled back enough to share a look of pure joy and love with Sam, then peppered her face with soft kisses, drawing a laugh from the former Worldkiller.  Some part of Kara’s mind noted the strangeness of kissing Sam in full Reign mask and makeup, but she didn’t give any fucks.  Sam was alive.  Reign was gone.

Sam placed both hands on Kara’s face and stopped her from further kisses, then pulled her in for the real thing.  Sam’s lips grasped at hers with a raw need, but she pulled them away after a few seconds.  “Hey there, gorgeous,” she whispered, a grin playing at the corners of her mouth.

“Hi,” Kara answered softly.  They both sensed Lena’s presence as she moved to get up, ostensibly to give them some space to reconcile, but Sam’s arm moving faster than Kara’s in grabbing Lena.

“Hey.  You’re not going anywhere, Lee.”  Lena settled back down and placed a hand over Sam’s.  “Thank you.  You saved me.” 

Kara reached over Sam and took Lena’s other hand into her own.  “You saved all of us.”  J’onn had long since disappeared, leaving the three women alone on the rooftop.  She suspected he was keeping an eye on the situation from nearby, but she appreciated his discretion tremendously.

Lena stared down at Sam, searching her features cautiously.  “Is it really you?”

“It’s really me.  Whatever you shot her up with, it worked.  I can’t … she isn’t fighting me anymore.  It’s just me in here again.”  She gestured towards her skull, only then noticing that she was still wearing the mask.  “Fuck me, I must still look pretty scary, huh?”

Lena shrugged nonchalantly.  “Actually, darling, you pull off the goth destroyer of worlds look surprisingly well.”

Kara rolled her eyes.  Of course Lena and Sam would find time to joke in a moment like this.  She rubber her hand along Sam’s jawline.  “Let’s get you back to the DEO.  We’ll clean you up, get you into some normal clothes, and run some tests.  Then, we’ll figure out where we go from here.”

Sam nodded and moved cautiously to sit up.  She stood without too much trouble.  Kara looked at Lena.  “Do you need to take care of anything in the office?” 

“No.  I’m coming with you.  Can you carry both of us?” 

Kara started to answer that it wouldn’t be a problem, but Sam interrupted.  “Actually—” they both turned to see her floating casually a foot in the air, “—I can get myself there.  Lead the way, Supergirl.”  Kara and Lena exchanged a look.  This was going to take some getting used to.  But as she met the smiling faces of both of her girlfriends, Kara felt at peace again for the first time in weeks.

 _Whatever comes next, we’ll figure it out together._ She lifted Lena into her arms, kissed her softly, and then took off with a joking, “Up, up, and away!”


	30. New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Sam consider giving Cat an exclusive interview with the former Reign.

** Chapter 30 **

“You know Kara, now that we’re not pretending you aren’t obviously Supergirl, it’s really okay if you just come talk to me in your normal terrible office attire.  You don’t have to get all suited up just to swoop down onto my balcony.  You **_do_** have an office two floors down, you could just take the stairs.”  Kara narrowed her eyes.  Cat raised an eyebrow, then added, “Not that you don’t make the whole ‘cape, skirt, and tights’ thing look just bafflingly sexy.”

Now it was Kara’s turn to raise an eyebrow.  “Flirting will get you nowhere with me, Cat.  I’m spoken for, as you well know.”  _Though … it’s not like I haven’t fantasized…_  “And it helps me to keep boundaries in place, which include wearing the suit when I’m on official Supergirl business.”

“Oh, **_Supergirl business_**.  Well, if you’re here to ask me to play Livewire bait again, I’m going to have to respectfully decline.” 

Kara smiled brightly, but she couldn’t resist teasing Cat a little.  “Hah hah.  Has anyone ever told you that you’re just **_so_** funny?” 

“Careful, Kara.  Just because we’re friends now doesn’t mean that you’re allowed to give me sass.”  She fixed Kara with that no nonsense look that still had the ability to make her stand up a little straighter and avert her gaze.  Their relationship had grow tremendously since Cat came back to town, but there were certain aspects of their old mentor-mentee relationship that would probably never go away.  Cat shot her a satisfied smirk, apparently pleased with herself that she ‘still had it.’  “Now, what is this Supergirl business you insisted on flying to my balcony about?”

Kara felt her chest grow tighter.  She and Sam had discussed this at length, and they were on the same page, but she still felt crazy nervous about the prospect of this interview.  It had been over a month since Lena freed Sam of Reign, and Sam was sure about what she wanted next.  And Kara fully supported her.  Still, she did her best not to let her nerves show—she was very well aware of how observant Cat could be, especially with someone she knew as well as she knew Kara.  “I want to discuss a potential interview with the illustrious Cat Grant, actually.”

“What did you have in mind, exactly?  I’m not sure what you have to gain from any additional interviews at this point, unless you’re ready to tell the world Supergirl and Kara Danvers are one and the same.  That’s an interview I would **_definitely_** be interested in, Kara, but I’m not sure it’s the best idea.”

“Yeah, no, the interview wouldn’t be with me.”  The fact that Cat even thought Kara would consider coming out publicly as Supergirl was a bit startling, and not something she had ever considered.  She’d have to discuss it with Cat later, but she had a more pressing interview topic in mind right now.  “Look, first of all, nothing is on the record right now.  I want to float an idea with you, but discretion is non-negotiable.  This could be huge for CatCo and for the city, but nothing is happening unless I’m sure about the direction of the story.”

Cat leaned back in her seat, surveying Kara carefully.  Already, Kara could tell that Cat’s curiosity was piqued.  She refused to back down from Cat’s searching gaze.  After what felt like the longest thirty seconds of Kara’s life, Cat leaned forward again and reached her hand across to rest on hers.  “Supergirl, I hope that by now you know you can trust me.”  She searched Kara’s eyes for confirmation, and Kara responded with a small but confident nod.  “Good.  You have my word, that whatever you and I discuss about this mystery interviewee will remain in confidence unless and until you tell me you want something on the record.  So, stop beating around the bush—I can tell this is something **_juicy_**.  Who is it?”

Moment of truth.  Kara exhaled softly, trying to relax all her nerves.  “The only name you would know her by is Reign, but that isn’t who she is.”  The shock on Cat’s face was immediate, before her steely reporter’s instincts took over.  “You have questions already—shoot.”

“You never told me what happened to her, only that she wasn’t a problem anymore.  If you’ll remember, I was quite frustrated with you about it, because ‘Supergirl assures city that Reign is no longer a problem’ is a shitty headline and an even shittier story.” 

“Yeah sorry, but I’m hoping you’ll forgive me for being vague once you have the full story.”

“So, what is the full story then?  Reign is alive, but what—she’s not a murdering sociopath anymore?”

“The short answer?  Yes.”  Kara frowned, because she hated the idea of anyone thinking of Sam as Reign.  “But that’s not even close to the true story.  I guess I should start by explaining more about what Reign was.”

“Your use of **_was_** intrigues me, Supergirl.  Go on.”

“Cat Grant, so impatient.”  Cat rolled her eyes.  “So, I already explained to you that Reign was a Worldkiller, a genetically engineered super-Kryptonian created by some religious fanatics just before Krypton was destroyed.  What I have since learned is that she was also sort of like a parasite split personality taking over a seemingly human host.”

Whatever Cat was expecting from this conversation, it wasn’t this.  “A … parasite?”

“Sort of.  It’s complicated.  The pod that brought Reign to this planet was equipped with some sort of program that analyzed our society and masked Reign, on a biological and genetic level, as a human baby.  We can’t actually figure out whether the program intended to do this or not—but in doing so, it created a whole separate person, distinct from whatever Reign was supposed to be.  Up until a few months ago, this person was just a normal human woman.”

“So, why now?  Why did the Reign personality stay buried for so long?”  Cat paused, placing her index finger on her chin as she thought about something.  “Even with all the black and the makeup and the mask … that woman didn’t look any younger than 25, if that.  So, what took so long?”

“Another unsolved mystery.  We all have theories, but nothing that we can say for sure.  But whatever awakened the beast, it was a gradual process.  We didn’t figure all this out about Reign until weeks after my fight with her.  We captured her, briefly, and were able to obtain her pod.  But that’s just backstory, it’s not the point.  Ultimately, Lena was able to come up with a solution that rid this woman of the Reign personality.  She isn’t Reign anymore.  Reign **_is_** gone, hence the past tense.”

“And now you want me to interview this not-Reign person?  What is the story here, Kara?  What haven’t you told me?”  _Always insightful, Ms. Grant.  And straight to the point._

“Well … it’s a redemption story, actually.”  She could see Cat’s face light up, and she could only imagine what wheels were turning in that head of hers.  “This woman—who is an incredible, resilient, kind, beautiful person who didn’t deserve any of this—but … she feels guilty.  And now that she has all these powers … she wants to help.  She wants to try to make amends for these horrific things that this monster did while in possession of her body.  And I think the best way to start that is with an interview with Cat Grant.  Sort of like my first interview with you.”

There was a look in Cat’s eyes that Kara couldn’t figure out.  Something like suspicion… but not in any sort of unnerving or uncomfortable way.  She could see the wheels turning, but she had no idea what about.  She had the feeling it wasn’t necessarily about this story.  Suddenly, Kara worried that she had given too much away.  But no, surely not.  She hadn’t even mentioned Sam by name yet.  She hadn’t said anything that might hint at their relationship.  At least … she didn’t think she had.

Cat stood and began to stroll leisurely around the balcony.  Kara knew that meant Cat was confident she had a worthwhile story on her hands.  She waited patiently for the impending onslaught of follow up questions.  She didn’t have to wait long.

“So this ‘incredible, resilient, kind, … **_beautiful_** ’ not-Reign person is no longer just a normal human?”  Kara didn’t much care for the quote or the emphasis on the world beautiful, but she knew if she protested right then, Cat would only get more suspicious.

“I guess she was never a **_totally_** normal human.  I mean … she didn’t have powers or anything until recently, but she was still born on another planet.  But yes, to answer your question, she has all the powers Reign had, just with none of the murdery impulses.” 

“Okay well, first of all, what are we going to call her?  Reign is a tainted brand—she’ll never escape it.  Even with Supergirl vouching for her.  She needs a full rebrand.  New name, new suit … do you think she would consider a different hair colour?  Maybe a vibrant red?” 

Kara was momentarily distracted by the very sexy thought of Sam as a redhead, and she had to clear her head before responding in any kind of a normal way.  “Uhh, well that’s actually a big part of why I wanted to talk to you beforehand.  We’ve got the new suit covered already, but we’re having trouble coming up with the name.  And you can ask her yourself about the hair, but I can already imagine what her answer will be.”

Cat turned, eyebrows raised.  “Is she going to be joining us?”  Kara winced, not having meant to give that part away yet.  “Ooo she **_is_**.  That’s excellent.  Well, what are you waiting for?”

Kara sighed.  She felt beyond silly about this, but she needed to get on the same page with Cat if they had any shot at convincing Sam.  “It’s the name.  You and I need to decide what the name should be, because I’m going to need your help to convince her.”

“I suppose I **_am_** the superhero whisperer.  I don’t know if I’m going to be able to top Supergirl, though.”  Kara struggled—and ultimately failed—to keep a straight face.  Cat noticed and immediately realized what she had said.  “Getting your hopes up there, Supergirl?  I thought you were ‘ ** _spoken for_**.’”

Kara blushed wildly, but immediately crinkled her brow scoldingly at Cat.  “I **_am_** , thank you very much.  And … ugh … Cat!  It was funny, okay?!  Doesn’t mean I was fishing for anything.”

Mmhmm.  Of **_course_** not.  Who knew, innocent little Kara Danvers isn’t so innocent after all?” 

The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.  “Oh please, you know Lena, surely you had to have guessed that by now.  I am—” she didn’t know how to say what she meant in a way that sounded … right, “—a … **_mature_** … adult … queer woman.  I’m not exactly sure how I could have avoided interpreting it that way!”

“Yes well … I’ll give you that, dear.  Still, the statement remains true … **_however_** you want to **_interpret_** it.”

“Oh gosh, really Cat?”  Kara hadn’t felt this flustered around the older woman since she had started calling her by her first name.

“Hey, **_you’re_** the one who has made it very clear that I have no shot with Supergirl, no matter how excellent I am at flirting.”  She winked at Kara, and her face heated up yet again.  “Now, if you’re done obsessing over my possibly intentional choice of words, let’s get back to the subject of the as of yet unnamed superhero formerly known as Reign.”

“What do you think about ‘Power Girl?’”  Kara kept her voice steady and monotonous.  The idea was Winn’s, and no one had been able to come up with anything better, even though Sam was adamantly against it.  She genuinely wanted to know what Cat would think, without giving away her own feelings on the subject.

Cat faced away, looking out over the city.  Her lack of immediate reaction made Kara nervous, but she sat there calmly waiting for Cat, trying not to nervously chew on her lip.  Cat’s voice was almost sultry in how soft and playful it was.  “Well, **_obviously_** ‘Superwoman’ is off the table.  I mean … you’re both grown adults.  No more than five years’ age difference, I would think—”

“Three,” Kara mumbled under her breath, but Cat didn’t move a bit.

“And we definitely don’t want to invite some sort of weird Madonna and whore dichotomy.  Plus … yes, I think we want to keep the ‘Super’ name strictly in the family.”  Cat turned all the way around, placing her hands out wide against the railing and leaning back ever so slightly.  “’Power Girl could work, though.  It sounds a little too much like an idea Wesley the IT hobbit would have suggested, but it **_does_** have a nice symmetry with Supergirl, assuming that you’re going to be working in tandem?”

“That’s the plan, yes.”  Kara stood and walked slowly to go lean against the railing beside Cat. 

“I suppose we could go with something really out there, something new.  Such a tired pattern with superhero names—Supergirl, Wonder Woman, the Batman—at least your friend Mr. Allen had a unique moniker, as much as the Blur would’ve been vastly superior.  Now let’s see …” she paused dramatically, “Huntress is already taken.  I don’t suppose Krypton was in the Andromeda galaxy, because that would be a great name.”  She looked sideways at Kara expectantly.

“Well … I mean, it **_was_** , but I’m not sure she really feels any connection to our homeworld.  She’s like Kal; she left as an infant.  She had no memory of our culture or our history.  I mean, she didn’t even realize she was anything other than human until this year.”

“Okay, well, we should at least run it by her—it doesn’t have the same sort of symmetry that Power Girl might, but Andromeda is an excellent and unique choice.  Especially if she’s keeping the black on black colour scheme, which … well, that’s actually a really bad idea.  She **_needs_** to lighten it up if she wants to become a symbol of hope rather than fear.”  She shrugged.  “Well those are the best two options I’ve got.”  She propped herself enough to face towards Kara.  “Is that all we needed to work out?  Do I get to meet **_your girl_** now?”

 _My girl._   Kara managed to keep herself from visibly sighing out of happiness.  She straightened and nodded, reaching down and pulling her phone out of the hidden pocket in her boot.  Cat wondered aloud, “What am I even supposed to call this woman, given that she hasn’t chosen a name yet?”

“S—shit.  I don’t know, Cat.  Let’s maybe tackle the name issue first, so that you have something to call her.”  Kara couldn’t believe she almost let Sam’s name slip.  She wasn’t used to keeping her guard up around Cat anymore.  Cat’s sly grin told her that Cat knew it, too.  Kara shot Sam a quick text, giving her the go ahead to meet them on the balcony.  “She’ll be here any minute.”

~~~~

Sam was looking over her new superhero outfit for the millionth time when she got the text from Kara.  She was in Kara’s loft, pacing back and forth in front of the full length mirror.  She loved her new look, mostly.  She had worked closely with Kara and Winn on the design, which was equal parts Reign and Super, with a little bit of a unique flair to separate her from Kara or her cousin.

She stuck with the black but added a lot of white and brightened the red accents to match the shade in Kara’s costume.  The suit was a full body skintight flight suit, more like Superman’s suit than Supergirl’s.  She kept the boots and gauntlets from the Reign outfit, but Winn was able to dye them red.  There was a white metallic belt modeled after the leather enclosure from the Reign outfit, but lower on her waist like Kara’s v-shaped belt.  The biggest changes were the top of the outfit.  Kara had insisted that if she was truly dedicated to changing her public image and using her powers for good, she needed to be a living symbol of hope.  For better or worse, the sigil of the House of El had become that on Earth, and even though they had argued about it for hours—days—Sam had  eventually, very reluctantly, agreed.  She still felt like she didn’t deserve it.  She felt wrong putting herself on the same level as Supergirl.

The sigil was a little larger and higher on her chest than Kara’s, and it formed all one piece with her cape, the outer bottom triangle of the pentagon rising up past the sigil to form the outer edges of the cape going up and over her shoulders.  The cape, outside of the sigil, and ‘S’ were white, while the inside of sigil and the inner lining of the cape were red.  The cape and sigil connected seamlessly into a white cowl that completely covered her collarbones and neck before rising up to enclose most of the back of her head, her ears, and her face from the nose up.  The cowl ended at her hairline, allowing her hair to flow freely.  It was important that Sam protect her identity, and it was far too late in life for Samantha Arias to even attempt the whole ponytail and glasses disguise.  And the Reign mask felt wrong.  It has a sort of alien beauty to it, but it was inseparable from the fear and violence left in Reign’s wake.  The cowl was Winn’s idea, and it was a great one.  It would protect her identity perfectly.  Winn had also seen fit to add in two-inch-wide red accent lines coming down from the sigil, curving slightly past her belt to follow the shape of her hips, and then cutting of in a diagonal edge just above the knee.  Sam had to admit, they really added an extra pop that the suit needed.

Once she had decided on this path, everything had become easier.  The guilt and remorse—the darkness, as she’d taken to calling it—had been easier to ignore by focusing on the outfit, brainstorming name and ideas, and training with Kara.  But they were still there.  She wondered if they would always be there.  It was hard for her, because she had no one to talk to about it.  Kara was so encouraging and supportive, but she wouldn’t allow Sam to take any responsibility for Reign’s actions.  Wouldn’t even talk about it.  But Sam **_needed_** to talk about it.  She still had only a few flashes of memories from when Reign was in control, but they were enough to fill her with overwhelming guilt, disgust, and self-loathing.  Ignoring it didn’t make her feel any less responsible.  Didn’t cleanse her hands of the blood she felt all over them late at night.

And Lena … well, she was fortunate enough that Kara’s text came just in time to spare her from having to think about Lena. 

[10:15 a.m.]  **Hey babe, Cat and Supergirl are ready for you.  Let’s see how fast you can fly from the loft to CatCo ;)**

Instead of responding, Sam grinned and darted out the open window at full speed, accidentally blowing the furniture out of place with the wind created by her sudden departure.  _Oops!_   She was still getting the hang of flying, but the cape really helped.  At first she had thought a half cape over only one shoulder would have been a more distinctive look for her, but Kara had insisted that the full cape was more aerodynamically sound.  Plus it could be used for protection from bullets and flame, so the more material the better.  Now, she could see what Kara had meant.  She made it from Kara and Lena’s loft to CatCo in under a minute, which she thought was pretty damn good.  Even though she was pretty sure Kara probably could’ve done it in half that time without even trying.

Sam paused briefly above the building.  It never failed.  Kara just looked so gorgeous as Supergirl.  It was especially the case now that Sam’s vision was so vastly improved.  The sun in in her hair was captivating.  She could already tell that Kara had noticed her presence, and wow was that sexy.  Caught up in the moment, she whispered, “You look so sexy right now.  I wish I could fly you away right now and rip that suit off your body,” knowing that Kara, and only Kara, could hear her.  Seeing Kara blush immediately, she felt her face erupt in a wide smile.  She loved teasing her girlfriend, especially now that their powers allowed her to do it in inappropriate situations.

Having accomplished her mission, Sam floated down to the CatCo balcony and landed beside Kara.  It was her first time meeting Cat Grant, and she tried not to let all the gushing Kara had done prevent her from coming to her own conclusions.  If she was going to trust this woman with her story, she needed more than Kara’s assurance that Cat was reliable and respectful. 

She nodded warmly at Kara—they had talked previously about playing the part of nothing more than friends, with a slightly professional edge to their relationship—then turned to Cat with her hand outstretched.  “Ms. Grant, it is nice to finally meet you.”  Cat shook her hand firmly before gesturing that they should all sit.

“Well, this is quite the transformation.  My compliments to your seamstress—Supergirl, you weren’t kidding about taking care of the suit.”  Cat looked her up and down.  “If Reign wasn’t still fresh on all our minds, I would never have guessed you used to be her.  Or … were possessed by her—my apologies for the slip in the phrasing there.  Supergirl assures me that you are not Reign, and I trust her.  Please, call me Cat.  And we can figure out what we’re going to call you.”

Sam was a little taken aback by Cat’s casual reference to Reign and immediate apology.  She decided to flip it into a joke.  She needed to get a firm bearing on Cat Grant before she was willing to open up.  “Well, you sure as hell shouldn’t call me Reign, I suppose.  And don’t tell me you’re gonna go along with this whole ‘Power Girl’ thing, because there’s no way I’m letting people call me that.”

“Look, I hate to tell you this, **_Power Girl_** , but they’re going to call you whatever I tell them to call you.  I’m Cat Grant.  You know, Supergirl wasn’t exactly thrilled with her moniker when I bestowed it on her either.  Not at first anyway.  Now she loves it.”  Cat smiled knowingly at Kara, and Sam couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the easy familiarity between the two women.

“Yes, well.  I’m **_not_** Supergirl.  And I’m not **_Power Girl_** either.  Surely the great and mighty Cat Grant can think of something less … derivative.”  Sam was actually pretty okay with Power Girl, now that she had had time to process it.  It had a certain ring to it and worked well as a mirror of Kara’s superhero name.  But she was testing Cat, and honestly, it wouldn’t hurt to hear a few other options.

“I mean, I **_could_**.  Hell, when you and your **_friend_** —” Sam didn’t care at all for the cocky tone with which Cat said ‘friend,’ and she shot a questioning look Kara’s way, only to have her keep her eyes firmly on Cat, “—head home, feel free to ask her about some of my other ideas.  But no.  No, Power Girl is the right choice.  I see that now.”  Cat paused, uncrossing her legs then crossing them again in the reverse direction.  “Now.  I’m sure you both know each other’s secret identities, and I’m fully aware of Supergirl’s identity, but I think we should limit ourselves to official superhero monikers for this little talk, just to be sure that no one slips up and uses S—” Cat made a show of interrupting herself before she finished the syllable, and Sam glared daggers at Kara, who wilted immediately under her gaze.  _Does she **know**?!  _ Cat chuckled before saying, “Easy there, Power Girl.  No, she didn’t tell me your real name.  She was actually doing a remarkable job of hiding your identity and her relationship to you, other than a couple of tiny slip ups that most people might not have caught.  I’m quite proud of her, if I’m being completely honest.”

Sam shifted uneasily.  She recognized Cat’s insistence on superhero names for what it was—a truly skillful and compassionate overture.  An attempt to help protect Sam, since they both knew how likely it was that Kara would slip up at some point if the conversation got too comfortable.  Nevertheless, the power dynamics here were off, at least in Sam’s mind.  She and Kara were the ones who could fly and break this building in half with one hand—and yet, Cat Grant was the one making them feel uncomfortable.  Sam didn’t like it at all.  She was accustomed to having the upper hand in a conversation with a new person—especially an attractive woman.  She hated to admit it to herself, but she was legitimately intimidated by Cat, if only a little.  Still, it didn’t make her any more likely to trust the Queen of All Media.

Cat watched her reaction carefully, then sighed.  She slouched a little into her chair and somehow, as if by magic, she suddenly seemed 30 percent less intimidating.  Sam knew it had to be a practiced skill from Cat’s reporting days, but that didn’t change the automatic reaction her body had, relaxing just slightly.   “Look, I’m sorry for this whole song and dance.  I sincerely did not mean to put you ill at ease.  Old habits die hard.”  She smiled softly at Sam.  “As I told Supergirl before you arrived, nothing is on the record until you say it is.  I would never do anything to betray her trust, and if she tells me to extend you the same courtesy, I will.  And have.” 

Sam searched her eyes, unsure if she could trust the sincerity she read in them.  She narrowed her own eyes before responding.  “I’m having trouble getting a good read on you, Cat.  I’m fully aware that K— ** _Supergirl_** trusts you with her life.  And with her reputation, for that matter.  But I’m not willing to just take her word for it, even though I trust her fully.  I’m in a difficult spot right now, as I’m sure you can imagine, and I need to know for myself that I can trust you before I open myself up to you.  On or off the record.”

“You’re a smart woman,” Cat offered immediately.  Sam believed the compliment was genuine.  “I don’t blame you for being cautious.  Supergirl assures me that you’re a victim in all this, but I’m not going to beat around the bush—you’re up against it.  No matter how you go about this, it won’t take long for people to put two and two together when you start doing the whole superhero thing.  And once that happens, they won’t trust you.  Who knows—the military might come after you.  The police, if they’re stupid.  I assume you have an in with the DEO at this point, so that’s less of a concern.  And maybe if Supergirl vouches for you publicly, gets the word out in some way, that will help.  But people will still see you as Reign, and you could very well derail Supergirl’s reputation in the process.” 

Sam glanced over at Kara, who was glaring at Cat.  She knew that Kara was just being protective, but she reached over and placed a hand on Kara’s arm, just for a moment.  She appreciated hearing the blunt truth from Cat, even if Kara didn’t like to entertain worst case scenarios.  Kara caught her eye for just a second, calming down.  As Sam looked back at Cat, she caught the older woman surveying them with noticeable interest.  _Fuck._   Kara had warned her that Cat’s observation skills were superhuman, and Sam could already tell that this brief moment had set off some alarm bells.  _Shit._ Trusting Cat with her superhero rebranding efforts was one thing—letting her in on the fact that Supergirl was in a polyamorous relationship with her new crime fighting partner and Lena Luthor was another thing entirely.

“Unlike my friend, who I’m sure you know is the beaming epitome of optimism, I appreciate your frankness.  I’m well aware that I face an uphill battle, even if Supergirl is insistent that I am in no way responsible for the actions of Reign.  But I still need you to convince me that you’re the one to tell my story.”

Cat smiled at her.  Sam got the impression that she enjoyed the chase of a hard sell.  “Now **_that_** I can do.  The only question is how to convince you I’m on your side.  But before I do that, may I offer just one suggestion about your disguise?  While your hair is quite beautiful, this whole honeyed brunette look is a little distinctive.  Have you ever thought about a wig?  You could probably sew it directly into that cowl so that it looks like it’s your natural hair.  Given your choice of colour scheme, red might be nice—I imagine you’re trying pretty hard to hide your true identity, for reasons I hope to learn one day.  Hair colour and style can be a dead give away.”  She tilted her head slightly and pursed her lips.  “Just a thought.  Up to you.”  Sam actually really liked the idea, and she made a mental note to discuss it with Winn later.  “Anyway, to the point, since I only know what Supergirl has told me, the best I can do to convince you is to walk you through how I would present the story she told me.” 

Sam gestured for her to continue, and Cat stood, pacing as she told her version of the story and gesturing as necessary.  “You are a miracle, Power Girl.  Despite their best efforts to create an evil goddess, the end result of the genetic experiment of a dying Kryptonian religious cult was a strong, powerful woman dedicated to using her gifts for a better world.  You weren’t supposed to be.  But despite having literally the entire deck stacked against you, you refused the dark destiny that was foisted upon you, and now, you are determined to be the opposite of what your creators intended.  You’re not here to kill the world; you’re here to save it.”

 _Fuck, she **is** good_.  Sam didn’t have to look over to know that there were tears in Kara’s eyes.  Sam breathed out in faux exasperation.  “You know, I don’t exactly love using clichés, but I guess they’re clichés for a reason.  You tell a good story, Ms. Grant, and maybe this time flattery will get you somewhere.  But only because I already trust Supergirl’s judgment of you.”

Cat raised an eyebrow, waiting for Sam to clarify further.  Sam made a face but gave her the answer she sought.  “I consent to an interview with you, on the record.  But Supergirl and I want to review the finished product, **_with_** absolute veto power on what goes to publication.  Can you handle that?”  Sam could immediately feel the tension from both Cat and Kara.  She didn’t imagine that Cat was accustomed to these sorts of ultimatums, and obviously Kara knew Cat well enough that her unease confirmed Sam’s suspicion about Cat.

Of course, Cat Grant was just full of surprises.  “You realize how big an ask that is, right?”  Sam hoped that even through the mask, her confident look was all the answer Cat needed.  Apparently, it was.  “Well then, you’ll understand how big a concession it is for me to say yes.  Which I am.  On **_one_** condition.”  Sam exchanged a nervous look with Kara. 

“Let me hear your condition.”

“First let me just be sure you understand **_exactly_** what you’re asking of me here.  **_I_** am the best person to tell this story.  I **_do not_** take notes.  I do **_not_** let the feelings of my interviewees interfere with my ability to tell the best story that presents itself.  But I am willing to make this one time exception, which I have **_never_** made for anyone else—not even **_Supergirl_** —” Cat looked at Kara with an unusual, but also unusually delightful, expression, “—but only if you let me into your circle of trust.  You will have final say on what gets published, but only if I have the whole story.”

“The **_whole_** story?”  Sam’s eyes narrowed, already sure what Cat was asking, but needing to hear it aloud.

“The whole story, my dear.  Your name, personal history, how you know Kara, **_everything_**.  Again … I wouldn’t dream of publishing anything irrelevant to the story, and obviously, I’m agreeing also to not publish anything you don’t want published, no further questions asked.”  Cat looked back and forth between Kara and Sam.  “Feel free to discuss amongst yourselves.  I can go back into my office, or if it’s easier, I’ll wait here while you two fly off to somewhere more private.”

Sam whispered under her breath, barely making any sound at all, “Meet me on the roof,” then she nodded warmly at Cat.  “Give us five minutes or so; we’ll be right back.”  Then she was off to the roof.  It came as no surprise that Kara beat her there.

Acting purely on impulse, Sam didn’t stop in front of Kara—she just kept flying until her lips collided with Kara’s.  Her tongue moving along the inside of Sam’s lower lip sent sparks throughout her body and elicited a soft moan from the back of her throat.  Kara giggled, then pulled away, taking a step back.  “So, what are you thinking?”

I’m thinking that you’re even hotter now that all my senses are heightened.”  Kara rolled her eyes.

“Noooooo, babe.  Be serious.  And no deflecting!  What are you thinking about Cat’s proposal?”

“Yeah, Kara, that’s the thing though.  I’m not sure.”  She stepped closer, wrapping her hands around Kara’s face.  “You really trust her?  Not just with my story—but with my identity?  With Ruby’s?”  Kara’s smile faltered and concern seeped into her features.  Clearly, Kara hadn’t been thinking about Ruby, which was okay—she was new to this whole kid thing.  She hadn’t been a mother for fourteen years.  But then the smile returned, and her bright blue eyes shown with confidence.

“I do, Sam.  Cat’s a mom, too.  And I know what her reputation is, but trust me, there’s nothing she wouldn’t do to protect her son Carter.  I have zero doubt she will understand your concerns about Ruby.  As for your identity, I trust Cat with my identity as much as I trust you or Alex or Lena or Winn.  I can’t tell you what you should do here—I can only tell you that if I was in your place, I’d take the deal.” 

She gave Sam a peck on the lips, then leaned in to whisper near her ear.  Sam was pleased to find that the cowl didn’t take any of the sweet sexiness out of Kara’s voice.  “I also feel that I should point out that this cowl is really growing on me.  At first, I hated it because it covers up your pretty face.”  Kara traced a finger along Sam’s cheek.  “Your amazing cheekbones.”  She booped Sam’s nose affectionately, causing Sam to giggle softly.  “Your adorable nose.”  She pulled back, catching Sam’s eyes with her own.  “But … it **_is_** pretty sexy.  I started to see it during your back and forth with Cat.  I think I can live with it.” 

Sam smirked at her.  “You do, do you?  You sure I shouldn’t invest in a good pair of glasses and some hair clips instead?” 

“Har har,” Kara snarked as she shoved Sam playfully.  “Now.  What are we gonna do?”

“We’re going to put my life in Cat Grant’s hands, and you’re going to swear to me that I’m not making the biggest mistake of my life.”  Kara smiled, then pulled her in slowly for a deep, passionate kiss.

“I swear to you, this is not the biggest mistake of your life.  This is the start of a brave new beginning for you.  And, I hope, for us.”

Sam smiled back at her.  “Alright, let’s head back down there then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone is wondering, I drew inspiration from the comics costumes for Batwoman and Lana Lang's Superwoman, and the Supergirl show costume for Saturn Girl in my concept for Sam's new suit. I also agonized over what name she should take, but it was important that it was something related to Supergirl. I feel like Sam's personality is similar to the Power Girl from the comics, so that's ultimately what I went with.
> 
> UPDATE: I got inspired and tried my hand at a rough sketch of Power Girl's suit. You can find that here https://thatgreywoman.tumblr.com/post/181474990338/for-anyone-reading-my-fic-and-sam-makes-three-i


	31. Complications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and Maggie have some important--and happy!--business to take care of, and Cat has some concerns about Kara's new partner.

** Chapter 31 **

Tipsy Maggie was an absolute delight.  A little looser, a little louder, a little flirtier, and a **_lot_** more excitable.  It had been a great idea to have a boozy brunch before they started shopping.  After brunch nearby, they were walking over to the local fine jewelry store that catered specifically to the queer community.  As much as Lena adored tipsy Maggie, in this particular instance it unfortunately lead to an uncomfortable, but thankfully short, conversation on the way.

“So, have you seen Sam’s new super suit or whatever?”  Maggie asked so casually, probably without thinking.  Lena felt her body stiffen, but she kept pace with her friend.  She had no idea how to respond to the question without giving away her inner turmoil.

She tried to answer as succinctly as possible, without any inflection that could give her away.  “No, I haven’t had the chance.”  Lena didn’t look, but she could sense Maggie hesitate in her step, ever so slightly. 

“Shit. Dammit, Lena, I’m sorry.  Things are still iffy between you and Sam, huh?”  Lena really didn’t want to discuss this right now, because she wasn’t really sure what there was to say, other than yes.  Things hadn’t been the same between Sam and Lena since everything blew up with Reign, and she had no idea how to get back to the place they were in before.  It was a constant struggle just to keep their rift from affecting her relationship with Kara.

“Yeah, Maggs, they are.”  She rubbed her temple in frustration. 

“Do you need to talk about it?  I mean … what’s the issue?  Surely you don’t blame her for what Reign did?”

Lena felt her brow furrow, but she resisted the fleeting urge to lash out at Maggie.  She sighed, then answered, “Logically, no, I cannot blame her for that.  I know that Reign was another person.  We’ve discussed this, Maggie—I, of all people, know the distinction.  I’m the one who figured out how to get rid of that monstrous bitch.”

“But?”

“Honestly, I don’t know.  It makes no logical sense.  I **_know_** that they’re not the same.  That Sam isn’t to blame.  But then I look at her face … and all I see is those red eyes.  I can’t think of anything but the footage of her beating the shit out of Kara.  It’s this instinctual, visceral feeling that I just can’t shake, as much as I love Sam.”  She glanced over at Maggie to find her glancing back with genuine concern in her eyes.  “Fuck me, it’s the worst.  I feel genuinely awful about it, because I know it hurts Sam.  And it makes life so much more difficult for Kara, who is trying not to take sides.  But I have no idea how to deal.  I just keep hoping that time will close and heal the wound, that we’ll replace bad memories with good ones… but it’s still so hard just being around her.”

“I wish I could help somehow.  Have you talked to your therapist about it?  You’re still seeing the DEO chick, right?  So you don’t have to hide anything?”

They arrived at their destination, and slowed down to finish their conversation outside the store before going inside.  Lena winced.  Maggie was going to be pissed at her.  “I ummnm, no.  Fine.  No, I haven’t mentioned it.  I’ve avoided it because I know how fucking stupid it is, and I’m beyond embarrassed at how irrational and awful I’m being.”

She could feel the look Maggie was aiming at the side of her head, but she refused to face her.  “You’re a fucking idiot, you know that?”

“Yes, I fucking know that, okay?  Look, today is supposed to be happy.  And about you, **_not_** me.  If I promise that I’ll talk about my issues with Sam next time I see Dr. Letamendi, can we drop it for now?”

“You’ve got yourself a deal.  And we’re definitely going to need some more booze after this.”

“You’re damn right.  **_Now_** , let’s get you a ring.”  Lena opened the door and held it for Maggie, following her inside.  No one else was there, and the employee behind the counter, a tall black man, with a bald head and a very well-trimmed beard, greeted them warmly.  Lena returned the greeting and explained that they would need a few minutes to themselves, before leading Maggie to the first glass jewelry display on the right.

Lena enjoyed how much Maggie’s eyes widened after only two cases.  “Jesus fucking Christ, this is too much.  How am I supposed to pick something?” When Maggie had told her that she was planning to propose to Alex, this store was the first place Lena had thought of.  Lena made sure to invest in as many local businesses either owned by queer folks or catering to the queer community as she could find, and she had been a silent minority partner in this place for nearly as long as she’d been in National City.  So, when Maggie told her, the first sentence out of her mouth was congratulations, and the second was an insistence that they purchase all their rings here, Lena’s treat.  She hadn’t even had to fight Maggie that hard on it, which was one more thing she loved about her diminutive friend.  

“Well, darling, let’s start out with some simple questions that will help you narrow things down a bit.”  Lena put her hand on Maggie’s shoulder and turned her away from the glass case to look at Lena.  “Let’s start with the metal—Alex mostly wears silver jewelry, right?”

“Fuck me, I don’t know.”  Maggie looked up at the ceiling for a second, then back at Lena.  “Yeah, I think that’s right. Damn, Li’l Luthor, that’s some powers of perception you’ve got there.  Should I be worried that you know what kind of jewelry my girlfriend wears?”

Lena waggled her eyebrows suggestively.  “Well, I **_do_** have a thing for Danvers women, you know.”

“Hey!  Back off, bitch.  You already have a Danvers woman.  Mine is off limits.”  They exchanged fake glares for all of two seconds before they each burst into laughter. 

“So, that’s our starting point—either a white gold or platinum ring.  White gold is cheaper, but I suggest we go with platinum.  It won’t fade over the years, and you’re not worrying about price—not for this decision.”  She gestured back towards the jewelry case.  “Now, were you thinking of a more traditional sort of ring or something decidedly more unique?”

“Definitely **_not_** traditional.  I mean, still something relatively femme—this is Alex we’re talking about, and despite all her sexy badass masculine energy, her style is definitely more femme—so … something a little delicate, but I don’t want anyone mistakenly assuming she’s engaged to some bro dude.” 

Lena smirked, but her eyes stayed firmly on the rings in front of them, dancing from ring to ring as she began to get an idea of what Maggie had in mind.  “Okay, then the only other major decision is on the sort of gem—or gems—you want.  If we’re going non-traditional, maybe we’ll stay away from a ring with a prominent single diamond.  Maybe a band with several gems or a non-traditional shape with some other gems offsetting it.  Hell, maybe even something like an infinity pattern?”  She glanced sideways at Maggie, whose face was nakedly deep in thought.  Lena was trying to help, but she could tell the detective was overwhelmed.  “Let’s focus a little more.”  Lena took Maggie’s hands, forcing her to face Lena again.  “Close your eyes.”  Maggie did as asked but bounced a little, nervously.  “Clear your mind out. …  Now, I’m going to have you think about something, and you blurt out the first thing that comes to mind, okay darling?  Okay.  When you imagine this ring in your head, what colour jumps to mind?”

The response was unhesitating.  “Purple.”

“Perfect, Maggie!  You can open your eyes.”  They turned back to the jewelry.  “Purple is plenty unique.  So, we’re going to be looking at an amethyst, or possibly a synthetic purple sapphire, if you’re looking for a lighter purple.” 

Maggie frowned.  “Lena, I’m not seeing any rings with a purple stone.”

Lena rolled her eyes dramatically.  “That’s not a problem.  We haven’t looked at everything yet, and besides, it’s perfectly fine to pick a setting and change out the stones.  No limitations here.”  She rubbed Maggie’s back reassuringly.  “You wait here, distract yourself with your phone or something.  I’m going to bring you some options—but pay me no mind until I’ve gotten everything together.”

She walked away from Maggie, crossing the floor to go ask the employee behind the counter to let Dana know Lena was hoping to chat with her.  Dana was the owner of the store, and a delightful—if slightly neurotic—person who Lena was happy to call a friend.  She was a former up and coming soccer star whose career got derailed a little over a decade prior thanks to a serious breast cancer scare.  She had survived and found a new life’s passion in curating jewelry for all the big moments in the lives of queer people in National City.  Her wife of ten years, Lara, was a chef who Lena regularly contracted with her to cater all of L-Corp’s events.  And yes, Lena had given her tons of shit already for basically being the bizarre real life version of _The L Word_ character.  Lena smiled brightly as Dana rushed out to meet her, positively exuding her trademark goofy energy. 

“Darling, you’re looking wonderful as ever!  How’s Lara?”

Dana came around and gave Lena a firm hug.  “Lara’s fantastic, as always.  How is Kara?”  They both grinned, as they always did—it was an ongoing joke how similar their partners’ names were.  “Please tell me you’re finally buying her a ring.”

“Believe me, when I do, you’ll be one of the first to know.  But not yet.  I’m actually here with my very good friend Maggie Sawyer, who is here to buy an engagement ring for her girlfriend, Alex Danvers.”

Dana raised an eyebrow.  “Danvers, huh?”

“Kara’s older sister.”

“That is so great.  I love giant families full of lesbians.”  Lena tilted her head, adding in the slightest frown.  “Oh fine, **_queer women_**.  I know Kara doesn’t identify as a lesbian.  I’m still not used to all the modern lingo.  She’s—what?—a homo…, homo—”

“Homoromantic pansexual, yes.  How kind of you to almost remember,” Lena scolded jokingly.  “So, I’m trying to put together some options for Maggie, whose head might explode from having too many options.”  Lena led them over to the first display on the other side of the room from Maggie.  “I’ve narrowed down the options a bit.  We’re looking for a platinum ring, something nontraditional but still feminine, and she wants a purple gemstone—I’m thinking either an amethyst or one of those purple sapphires.” 

Dana walked around to the back of the display, wheels already turning in her head.  “Okay, I’ve already got a few ideas that spring to mind, one of which, I’ll have to get from the back actually.”  She reached into the case to grab a ring, dashed three panels over to reach in for another, then raised her finger for Lena to give her a couple more seconds.  Then she walked around to one of the cases nearer to Maggie, who gave her a curious look but kept her focus on whatever game she was playing on her phone, plucking a ring from there as well.  Finally, she disappeared to the back, returning seconds later with all four rings perfectly displayed on a little rectangular tray with a velvet cushion insert.  “Lena, Maggie, gather ‘round.”

Lena nodded to Maggie, and they met in front of Dana.  “Alright, Maggie, first of all, congratulations!  Welcome to the excellent world of lesbian marriage and domestic bliss.  Maybe when all this is through you can help me convince this one to join the club.”

“Oh my god, Li’l Luthor, I’m not the only one bugging you to lock Li’l Danvers down?!  You should’ve introduced me to—holy shit, I’m so sorry, I don’t even know your name!”  Maggie smiled brightly at Dana.

“Holy crap, your dimples are insane.  I’m Dana, Dana Davenport.  Nice to meet you.  Glad to meet another member of Team Luthor-Danvers.” 

“Oooo you think they would hyphenate?  That’s tasty.  Lena, why have you been holding out on me?”

“I’m not holding out on anyone, and today is most definitely not about **_me_**.  Now, let’s turn our focus back on the impending Sanvers nuptials, or you’ll be buying this ring yourself.”

“Jesus, will that name never die?”

“Not once you and Alex change your last names.”

“That’s never happening, and nothing you or Kara say is going to convince us.”  Maggie turned to Dana with a measure of finality.  “Now, let’s see these rings.”

Of the four options, three of them had purple stones.  One of them was a little bit more traditional than the rest, with a thin band and a prominent round amethyst at the center, but the top half of the band split into twisting arms that formed looping vines leading into the central stone, each with a smaller, clear oval stone.  The only non-purple ring was an asymmetrical design, a thin platinum band that cut into a sharp and steep curving v-shape up top, in order to make room for the pear-cut diamond in the center.   The other two were more like wedding bands than engagement rings, each with their own unique style.  One was a band whose top half split into a very wide and thin infinity symbol, with rows of tiny square pale lavender sapphires all along the symbol.  The final ring was a slightly thicker ring, with an antique sort of scroll pattern along the top and sides of the band.  Five small purple amethysts adorned the top of the band, separated by four slightly smaller white diamonds. 

Maggie looked them over for a long time, tracing a finger along each.  After giving her a few moments to analyze each, Dana launched into a brief pitch for each.  “So obviously, this one is a bit more traditional, and I know that you’re looking for something non-traditional, but the amethyst and the off-center accent stones really add a unique flair to a very feminine ring.  This one is my personal favourite, just because it is so different, and we can be sure to swap out the diamond for a pear-shaped amethyst or purple sapphire.  It also pairs very well with a wide variety of wedding bands.   The other two are more like wedding bands than engagement rings, but who gives a crap about that distinction.  The infinity ring can’t exactly pair with a band, but it can serve as both the engagement and wedding, especially if you wanted to get one to match it.  And this last one—that’s the one I had to get from the back, Lena—works by itself or paired with a simple wedding band.”  She smiled at Maggie, raising her eyebrows in curiosity.  “So, what are you thinking?” 

Lena knew which one would be her choice, but she guessed Maggie’s tastes differed from her own.  She made a mental note for a future date, then turned to face Maggie.  The detective reached out and plucked the fourth ring from the tray.

“This is the one.  I can feel it in my gut.”  She was grinning like a delightful, adorable idiot, and Dana and Lena exchanged a knowing look.  “Umm… so … do you have another one like this?”

“In case Alex wants to put a ring on it, too?  Yeah, I don’t have another one of these in the store right now, but I can put in an order for one, with whatever colour accent stone you want.”

“I don’t know, I mean … I hadn’t really thought about whether we should both have engagement rings, but I guess we should, and this is just a really badass ring, and obviously I’ll see what Alex thinks, but now I’m feeling like I just want the whole world to know that I’m hers, and shit, now I’m rambling, so I’ll just shut up now.”

“The rambling thing is cute—you’re so clearly in love.  Lena’s already taken care of the price, so we’ll just need to fill out this form and I can get it resized for Alex.  You can pick it up probably Monday, or Tuesday at the latest.”  Maggie went to work on the form, then looked up at Lena and Dana.

“Thank you both, seriously.  I was worried this was going to be a fucking nightmare, but you made it the easiest thing in the world.  Well… second easiest, after falling in love with Alex.” 

“God, Maggs, you’re such a fucking sap.”  Lena kept her own unease very well hidden, smirking teasingly at the shorter woman before turning back to the proprietor of the store.  “Dana, it’s been a pleasure as always.  I’m going to take this one for some more celebratory drinking, but give Lara my best.”

“I’ll do that, but I expect to see you back in here soon with your own business.  Tell Kara I said ‘hey girl.’”  Lena winked, then followed Maggie out the door.

~~~~

“Okay okay okay, are we done here?  I’m a C—superhero, not a model.  I don’t think I can handle many more flashes in my alien eyes.”  Kara agreed with Sam—she was over this.  And that’s without even factoring in the awkwardness of having James doing the photo shoot for the magazine cover.  He wasn’t really part of team Supergirl anymore, so he still didn’t know that Sam had been Reign, and his initial hesitation at doing the photo shoot appeared legitimately motivated by fear of the newly named Power Girl.  Kara had the nagging feeling that James was dying to take her aside and question her about everything—and probably to scold her while he was at it.  _No, thank you._

“Yes, **_fine_** , I think we’ve got what we need, Power Girl,” came the slightly exasperated response from where Cat was sitting comfortably behind James and his camera.  “You might wanna work on the attitude if you’re going to be taken seriously as a superhero though.  Just follow Supergirl’s lead.” 

Sam’s eyes flashed in challenge, but she held her tongue.  James made as if to speak, but Cat cut him off.  “That will be all, Mr. Olsen.  I’m expecting your best work with this.  It’s the biggest story in National City in nearly three years, and I want a quick turnaround.”  _In other words, since the appearance of Supergirl._   James reluctantly took his equipment and left.  Kara breathed a sigh of relief before exchanging a look with Sam.

“Ready to go?”  Sam nodded and turned to offer her thanks and a goodbye to Cat.  But the Queen of All Media had other ideas.

“Actually, Sam, would you mind if I kept Kara just a bit longer?”  She phrased it as a question, but Kara could tell from her voice it was not one.  Kara shot Sam a slightly nervous smile.

“I’ll come find you in a bit?”  Sam made a face as if she was considering utilizing her usual blunt straightforwardness to dig into what Cat really wanted, but a very subtle head shake from Kara convinced her otherwise. 

“Sure thing, **_Supergirl_**.  Cat, thank you for your time, and for your discretion.  Please let Kara know when a draft is ready for review.”  Cat nodded warmly, and Power Girl was out the window and into the sky in a flash.

“What’s this about, Cat?  Was there something wrong with the interview?  What is it you couldn’t say in front of Sam?”  Kara made sure to put her sternest foot forward, posing dramatically with her hands at her hips and using her slightly deeper, much more confident Supergirl voice.  Cat responded by taking her time standing up from her chair, then looked Kara up and down.

“You know, I know I mentioned it already, but consider me a big fan of the new look.  So much more, hmm, **_mature_** with pants instead of the skirt and tights.”  Caught off guard, Kara glanced down at the new look.  Inspired by Sam, Kara had decided to finally make a change in her own outfit.  She kept the same colour scheme but went for the full flight-suit look like Power Girl or Superman.  Her sigil and golden belt remained the same, but her cape now had a slight edge of gold lining around its outer edges.  Without the skirt, it was important to her to add some more red to the ensemble, and Winn hadn’t disappointed.  She had expected him to simply reuse the accents he had designed for Power Girl, but she was pleasantly surprised to see that her design was unique.  A slim red triangle poking out from under her cape on either shoulder.  A strip of red extended from under each arm, curving under each breast before plunging down towards her belt at a slight angle.  Each of  these red accents narrowed down to the belt, but continued after the belt in the form of two thin seams that subtly traced the curve of her hips before continuing straight down to her boots, which now had a thing gold lining at the top, to match her cape.  The final touch was two sharp, slightly curved triangles extending outward from the seams on her legs, starting maybe two or three inches below the belt and coming to a point just before reaching the bottom edge of the belt.

Kara felt somehow more powerful in the new outfit, and she liked it.  Clearly Cat did, too.  But she was also trying to distract Kara.  “Thank you, Cat, I like it, too.  But you’re not going to divert my attention that easily.  What’s on your mind?”

“Honestly?  I’m worried about you, Kara.”  Kara was a bit taken aback by the sudden sincerity and concern in Cat’s voice, without any of her usual wry sarcasm.  She felt her posture soften as Cat walked closer and put a hand on Kara’s arm.  “What are you doing with that girl?”

 _Ummm what?_   Kara struggled to keep a positive look on her face, even as her mind went wild with fears about what Cat was getting at, whether she was about to be judged or outed or otherwise mistreated by a woman she held in such high esteem, and how she could try to spin things to avoid that sort of outcome.  After a few seconds of wild speculation, she decided to try humour.  “Uh, fighting crime?  I thought we had made that obvious at this point.”

Cat immediately stepped back, withdrawing her hand at the same time that she shot Kara a very emphatic ‘cut the bullshit’ look.  “Kara Zor-El, you know damn well what I’m talking about.  I’m not an idiot, and I can very clearly see that you two are more than just friends.  I also know how **_annoyingly_** in love with Lena Luthor you are, so tell me what the hell you’re thinking.”

Kara could feel herself sputtering, completely unsure how to respond.  She knew Cat was perceptive, but this was next level.  Her chest tightened with anxiety.  _What if Cat doesn’t understand?  What if she exposes us?  She wouldn’t out Supergirl, would she?  No.  No way!  But … shit.  I am so not prepared for this conversation._   She blew out a frustrated exhale, then turned and walked towards Cat’s private elevator.  “Let’s talk about this on your balcony, okay?”  Cat raised an eyebrow but nodded nonchalantly, indicating for Kara to lead the way.  Kara immediately shot out a text on her group chat with Lena and Sam as she walked.

 _Sunny D_   [3:46 p.m.] **:**     **Red alert! Cat Grant’s superpowers of perception caught onto something more than platonic bt me & Sam.  Don’t think I’m gonna be able to walk it back wo her thinking I’m being awful to Lena somehow.  I trust Cat …  think I should tell her the truth.  But I won’t do it wo both of you signing off on it.**

They stood in uncomfortable silence as the elevator climbed from the floor that housed the art department’s photo studios up to Cat’s office.  Kara ignored the glances she received from the employees with desks outside Cat’s office but gave Eve a warm smile on her way inside.  She didn’t stop until she reached the balcony, then turned nervously and indicated for Cat to sit down.   She got one response on her way through the office, and quickly looked at the text from Sam.

 _Sam Slam_ [3:47 p.m.] ** **:**    Prior to today, I would’ve said absolutely not.  But now I see what you see in her, babe.  If you’re confident & you really believe it’s the right choice, I trust you.  And I trust Cat not to betray you.  If we don’t wanna tell her, the best lie I can think of is that there’s a definite attraction between us, but we’ve talked about it & don’t wanna hurt Lena, so we decided not to act on it?  I don’t know – is that any good?  Lee, thoughts? **

Sam’s text was soothing, and it helped Kara feel better about her gut instinct.  She still needed to hear from Lena though.  She paced about anxiously, trying to figure out how to explain her unorthodox love life to Cat freaking Grant.  Kara ran a hand through her hair, then blurted out, “It isn’t what you think.”  Then her face turned bright red—that sounded so cliché.  “I’m not … I wouldn’t … Cat, Lena is the love of my life, and I would never ever hurt her.  I’m not cheating on her.”

Cat looked at her curiously, and Kara was relieved that she couldn’t read any condemnation in those honey brown eyes.  “Then tell me what I’m missing here.  You’re not seriously going to try and tell me that your feelings for Sam are purely platonic.  I know chemistry when I see it.”

“That’s not what I’m trying to tell you.  I’m just … nervous, I guess.  Worried about how you’re going to look at me when I tell you the truth, which isn’t something I was prepared to do today.  But I can’t … ugh, I just can’t have you thinking that I would ever do that to Lena.”  She leaned against the wall, tilted her head back until it rested against the wall, and closed her eyes.  Kara centered herself, taking control of her breathing until she felt confident she could have a conversation without falling into full on Kara Danvers ramble mode.  Then she turned back to Cat, having formed a plan to buy herself some more time.

“First, tell me what you think of Sam.”  Kara wasn’t sure if Cat would go along with this, but hoped she would indulge her.  Even beyond stalling until Lena texted her, Kara was genuinely curious to hear Cat’s unfiltered opinion before she considered opened up about her love life.

Cat gazed out over the city briefly, then turned back to Kara.  “I assume that if I do so, you’ll eventually answer my question?”  Kara nodded, and Cat shrugged.  “Very well then.  Samantha Arias is quite possibly one of the most impressive women I’ve ever met.  I mean, she’s got a tragic backstory to rival yours, which is really saying something.  Yet she’s managed to go from a homeless teenage single mom to the CFO of a major multinational tech company by the age of thirty.  If you’re to be believed—and yes, Kara I think you are—she is an excellent mother with a bright and precocious teenage daughter.  And now, just a month or so removed from finding out that she was created as a literal weapon of violence with an alter ego who has murdered at least fifty people, she has the mental and emotional fortitude to attempt to use her gifts for good in the world, to atone for the actions of her other self whether she truly deserves that burden or not.  All that, and she hasn’t lost her bravado or her sense of humour.”

Kara appreciated that Cat thought Sam hadn’t lost any of her bravado, even if Kara knew that this wasn’t actually the case.  Maybe that was a sign of just how much bravado Sam used to have, before all of this.  But even so, Cat’s unabashed praise of Sam brought tears of happiness to Kara’s eyes.  And she had talked long enough for Lena to respond to her text.

 _Lee_ [3:46 p.m.]:  **Darling, I’m fairly sure Cat Grant is in love with you.  My only concern is not that she will judge or expose you, but simply that she will try to toss her hat in the ring as well.  Feel free to tell her the truth if you feel that is right.  Just remind her that she would be wise not to fuck with two Kryptonians and a Luthor.**

Kara grinned at Lena’s response, but Cat offered an unexpected coda to her appraisal of Sam, one that took Kara completely by surprise.  “I also think she looks about ready to break in half, and I genuinely hope she has a strong support system in place, beyond her daughter.”  Kara felt her eyes widen, and before she had time to even think about it the words were out of her mouth.

“She does,” Kara whispered.  She took a deep breath and ran her fingers through her hair again.  “Cat … Sam is my girlfriend.  But, but … Lena knows, and she’s been nothing but encouraging and supportive to both of us.  Sam is her oldest friend in the world, and this is something that we all talked about at length before anyone acted on anything.”  Cat had an amused look on her face, but her raised eyebrows told Kara to continue.  “We’re polyamorous—do you, umm, do you know what that means?”

“Dear girl, I’m old, but I’m not naïve.  I will say … I’m a bit hurt that you’ve blown off all my flirting given this new information.”  Kara blushed.  _How was Lena always right?_

“Cat! I … oh geez.  That’s not … I …”

“Oh Jesus, Kara.  Calm down.  You don’t have to explain anything, I’m just messing with you.”  Kara’s blush intensified, for more than a few reasons.  It wasn’t like she hadn’t thought about … anyway, she felt stupid for taking Cat’s cajoling seriously, even if it was Lena’s fault for putting the idea in her head.

“Ah!  Sorry.  I just … like I said, I wasn’t expecting to have this conversation with you.  I’m a little flustered.  I was worried you might—”

“Kara, I would hope by now that you know you can trust me.  I’m not here to yuck anyone’s yum.  If you three are happy with your arrangement, then great.  And I’m sorry if I pushed you to reveal something you weren’t ready to reveal.  I just… well, you know I take my role as your mentor and friend seriously.  I couldn’t ignore what I was seeing right in front of my face.”  Cat was grinning at her now, and Kara felt her own face relax and brighten into a small smile.

“I get it.  And I appreciate it, Cat.  I definitely value your advice.  I didn’t … well, I know our situation is unorthodox.  I’m not ashamed of anything, but obviously it’s complicated given that all three of us are now varying forms of famous for different reasons.  And we’re trying not to make Ruby’s life any more difficult than absolutely necessary, so … it’s just not something we advertise, especially to the most eminent member of the press in all of National City.”  Kara made sure her tone was appropriately joking for that last sentence, earning her a devious smirk from Cat. 

“Well in that case, I **_suppose_** I could avoid mention of it in my story on Power Girl.  If you **_insist_**.”  Kara chuckled, then Cat surprised her again.  “So, is it challenging for Lena to be the only regular human in the relationship?  I suppose **_regular_** might be quite the wrong word for your Lena, but you know what I mean.”

 _Huh._ That particular avenue for conflict had not come up, at least not yet.  For that, Kara was grateful.  “There have certainly been challenges and adjustments that we’re all struggling with in the wake of all the Reign insanity, but we’re working through it.  Together.”

Cat didn’t seem convinced.  “Be careful, Kara.  Love is tricky enough even between two people without superpowers or secret identities.  Just … well—” she made a face, “—be careful.” 

“Sure thing, Cat.”  Kara stood.  “Now, if you’re done grilling me on my love life, I need to get a few things done for Snapper before I head to Sam’s for dinner with her and Ruby.”  She moved to hug the older woman, who held her warmly. 

“Good luck, Supergirl.  I’ll have a draft to you and your **_girlfriend_** by the end of the day tomorrow.  And don’t worry.  Your secret is safe with me.”  Kara nodded, then took a few steps away from Cat before taking off.  She had actually meant to finish up some of her Kara Danvers work, but now that was the farthest thing from her mind.  Cat’s words ate at her, and her body carried her straight to L-Corp before her mind even had time to realize where she was going.


	32. Lena's Struggle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara goes to see Lena and things get steamy. Then Lena goes to have a chat with her therapist.

** Chapter 32 **

Lena met her on the balcony with a gorgeous smile and a spine-tingling kiss.  Then she pulled away and fixed Kara with an impish grin.  “Well, when is your first date with Cat Grant?”

_Rao._   Kara rolled her eyes dramatically at Lena before responding, “Lena Luthor, everyone: CEO, billionaire, philanthropist, engineer, girlfriend, and now, comedian.”  She gestured as if she was introducing Lena to some imaginary crowd.  “Just by putting that idea in my head, you made me embarrass myself.  Thanks for that.”

“My pleasure, darling.  So, why are you here, instead of making out with Cat?  I hear she is quite skillful with her tongue, but you can’t always trust the rumours.”  Kara was starting to get the sense that Lena was focusing on Cat to deflect the conversation away from some other potential topic.  But it was important to Kara that she broach the question raised by Cat—namely, whether Sam’s recent acquisition of superpowers was proving difficult for Lena to handle.

“I’m here because you’re my girlfriend, and she’s not.  And I was struck with the sudden desperate urge to have your lips on mine.  Have I ever told you that your lips are as sweet as they are soft?”

Lena stepped closer to Kara, and her perfume was intoxicating.  Kara bit her lip as Lena captured her gaze with a sultry expression sparkling in her clear green eyes.  “Is that right?  I suppose it works out for you, then, that you can kiss me whenever you like.”  She leaned in until her lips were less than an inch from Kara’s but didn’t release Kara’s eyes from her gaze.  Suddenly Kara was feeling playful, and Lena’s proximity was so enticing that she licked her lips subconsciously.  As she did so, her tongue gently brushed Lena’s upper lip, and Kara sensed Lena’s body tense in anticipation.  It was too much.  Any sense of teasing was gone—her tongue pushed across Lena’s lip and into her mouth.  Lena pushed herself closer, taking Kara’s tongue into her mouth with an almost provocative hum.  As Lena’s tongue met her own, Kara felt her entire body light up.  In a heartbeat, Kara had Lena up against the wall, pressing her body solidly against Lena’s, desperate to close any distance between them.

Lena’s hand glided around the side of Kara’s neck and into her hair, and her other was already gripping Kara’s hip firmly underneath her skirt.  A whimper escaped Kara’s lips as her body cried out for Lena’s touch.  Lena pushed herself up and flipped them around so that Kara was against the wall.  Her hand found the top of Kara’s tights and teased them down slowly, so that her hand was free to explore Kara’s hip bones, upper thighs … and everything in between.  Kara felt the heat pooling between her legs, and Lena’s touch electrified every nerve in her body in the absolute best way.  Any thought of conversation was gone. 

As Kara hummed with pleasure, her body pressing against Lena’s hand in anticipation, Lena nipped at Kara’s earlobe before whispering, “Tell me what you want, **_Supergirl_**.”  Kara’s whole body tightened, and a pleasant shudder rippled down her.  She bit her lip, catching Lena’s eyes as she pulled back to wait for Kara’s answer.  Lena hand hovered agonizingly less than an inch from her skin, and it felt as if there was electricity flowing through that tiny space between them.  Kara’s body screamed for Lena’s touch, and Lena’s gorgeous green eyes shimmered with sultry intention.

“Please, Lena.  Please, I **_need_** you to touch me.”  Kara almost grabbed Lena’s hand to press it firmly between her legs, but Lena moved immediately with Kara’s plea.  Her hand was so soft and delicate, but her fingers moved with precision.  Her fingers traced down through the soft curls of Kara’s pubic hair, and then moved lightly, teasingly down.  To Kara’s delight and dismay, Lena avoided her clit on the first pass, savouring the feel of the delicate skin below.  A low moan escaped Kara’s throat.  Lena traced lines along Kara’s folds, working her way languidly inwards until Lena finally slipped two fingers inside of her.  Kara gasped, locking eyes with Lena as she slowly worked her fingers in and fucked her ever so gently.  “Rao, Lena, you feel so good.”

 She smiled softly back at Kara, enjoying the ways in which the pleasure making its way through Kara’s body displayed itself across her face.  Lena always watched Kara with so much tenderness and appreciation when they made love.  Her fingers began to move faster, rougher, and then she added a thumb to Kara’s clit.  Her legs shook as she worked to remain standing while focusing on the intense shocks of pleasure radiating from her gut outward as Lena pushed her towards the edge.  Their eyes remained locked together, and Lena’s face radiated with the anticipation of Kara’s climax.  She bit her bright red lower lip in that way that drove Kara crazy, just as she increased the speed of her thumb’s movement.  Kara moaned loudly as her body rocked through the orgasm, the power of it overtaking her.  Once her body calmed, she wrapped her arms around Lena’s neck and slumped into a tight embrace, enjoying the light scent of Lena’s shampoo as she caught her breath again.

Kara had no idea how long they lingered there, holding each other.  It didn’t matter.  At that moment, there was nothing else but Lena and Kara, at home in each other’s arms.  The sun was low in the sky, but not yet setting.  As Kara looked out at her city, she giggled softly into Lena’s ear.  “I don’t think we’ve ever fucked on the balcony, have we?”

She could feel Lena grin wickedly in response.  “No, this was our first.  You fucked me on the roof that one time, and we’ve christened every surface of my office at this point.  How on Earth did we go this long without having sex on the balcony?”

“I have no idea, but you gave me that look and told me that I could kiss you anytime I wanted, and I just **_needed_** to have your hands all over me.  I couldn’t wait to get you inside.”

“’That look?’  Whatever look could you be talking about, darling?”  Lena’s voice was airy and lyrical.  Kara pulled away, worked her tights back up, adjusted her skirt, and then leaned back against the wall, resting her hands on Lena’s hips. 

She crinkled her brow and said, “You know **_exactly_** what look I’m talking about.”

“I assure you, I haven’t the slightest clue.  Don’t blame me for your desperate need for my oh so skillful touch.  I’m just glad that you **_came_** by my office.”  Kara giggled at the obvious double entendre and leaned forward to kiss Lena softly. 

“Whatever, it was wonderful.  How has your day been?”  Lena shrugged nonchalantly.

“The usual.  I’ll probably need to stick around a bit late tonight to catch up on things, but things are running as smoothly as ever.  Which I’m sure means I’m due for another unpleasant visit from Mother any day now.”  Lena’s tone was joking, but Kara could hear the tiny bit of anxiety hidden underneath the joke. 

“Well if she does, punch her in the face, and I’ll come grab her immediately.  No problem.”

“That sounds delightful, Kara.”  Lena smirked, clearly visually the thought of socking Lillian.  “So … not that I am complaining, but to what do I owe the pleasure of Supergirl’s company?  Don’t you have plans tonight?”

“Yeah, actually, I wanted to see if you wanted to join us for dinner.  Sam said she would love to have you, and Ruby really misses you lately.”  Lena’s face darkened, and Kara cringed just slightly, anticipating the no.

“I’m sorry, Kara.  I know I’m making this hard for you, and I don’t want to.  But I really can’t tonight.  I’ve got to finish up work here, then I’m seeing Dr. Letamendi.  Maggie convinced me that I absolutely need to talk through my issues about Sam, even though I feel like such a terrible person to be having these feelings.  I really can’t … I just, I’m not ready to talk about it with you.  Not yet.  Is that okay?”  Lena’s face was sincerely apologetic, and Kara was relieved to hear that she was finally going to talk about this with her therapist.  Her two romantic partners had been caught in this stalemate of hurt feelings and mistrust for over a month now, and it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to avoid feeling some resentment about it. 

“Of course it is okay.  I’m really happy that you’re willing to talk to her.  You’ve been really hard on yourself about this dark cloud between you and Sam, and I really think this will help you.  Since you won’t let me help you.”  Kara winced, realizing that sounded harsher than she intended.  “Sorry!  I’m **_not_** scolding you; I’m saying this is good, and I’m proud of you.  Your feelings are not stupid, and it’s important to figure them out and deal with them, in whatever way works for you.”  Lena smiled slightly, tracing her finger softly along Kara’s wrist.

Kara remembered that she had wanted to ask Lena about whether being the only one without powers might have something to do with her negative feelings towards Sam, but decided not to bring it up right then.  Let Lena do some work on it in therapy first.  “I … you’re right, this is really hard for me.”  The small smile on Lena’s lips vanished, and her body slumped in just slightly, signaling the guilt Lena continued to carry.  Kara moved her hand from Lena’s hip and began stroking her lower back softly.  She hated making Lena uncomfortable.  “I love you both, and I know that you love each other, and it is hard for me to see you going through this.  Too have to avoid talking about one of you when I’m with the other.  This isn’t what I want.  But I know you’ll figure it out.  You’re too strong, and too good, and you love Sam too much not to.”  She pulled Lena in for another hug, kissing her along her neck.  “Just … Ruby really does miss you.  Even if it’s weird being around Sam right now, please find time for Ruby.  I can coordinate everything, okay?”

Lena stiffened, and Kara pulled back to see her eyes growing watery.  Kara smiled reassuringly, and gently moved a loose strand of hair out of Lena’s face.  Her voice was apologetic.  “You’re right.  I’m sorry.  I really hate how awful I’ve been, but I don’t …  nothing.  Not important.  I’m working on it.  But yes, absolutely, I want to see Ruby.  I’ll reach out on the group chat that includes Ruby and see when I can take her out for ice cream and adventure soon.”

Kara put her arms back around Lena’s neck, and she began to gently play with Lena’s earlobe and trace softly along the outside of her ear.  “She would love that, I’m sure.  I’m sleeping over at Sam’s, but will you call me after therapy—I’d like to hear about how it went, if you’re willing to talk to me about it.”

Lena smiled, but there was clearly pain and remorse behind those eyes.  “I’ll definitely call you, darling.  I can’t promise I’ll want to talk about it, but we’ll see.”  She kissed her again.  It was short, but full of emotion.  “I love you, Kara.  I’m sorry to put you through this.”

Kara kissed her back, responding, “It’s okay.  I don’t understand it, but I know you.  I support you.  We’ll get through this.  And I love you too, creampuff.”  The term of endearment earned her a grin, and it brightened Kara’s mood tremendously.  “And thanks for the lovely orgasm,” Kara added, winking slyly.

“Any time, Supergirl.  You always know where to find me.”  Lena’s voice was all seduction and intention, and Kara was almost tempted to have another go.  But Sam and Ruby were waiting. 

She kissed Lena one last time.  “Good luck in therapy.  I’ll talk to you later.”

“Bye, darling.”

~~~~

After Kara flew off, Lena had immediately locked away the troubling feelings they had discussed, choosing instead to luxuriate in the memory of their physical intimacy as she worked to finish up her work for the day.  She smiled warmly at Jess on her way out, and she rose to follow Lena down the elevator, all the way to the parking garage.  Lena had to drive herself, since she had long since elected not to have the DEO’s location available to the car company she used to get about town when she didn’t feel like driving herself.     

The drive was short, but lengthened slightly by traffic, as always.  She made her way through the security checkpoints quickly—the DEO agents were slowly but surely getting used to her presence at the facility on a regular basis.  Dr. Letamendi’s office was on the same floor as Pam’s HR department, and there was no one else in the waiting room when she arrived.  Dr. Letamendi waved her right in, a big smile shining on her face.

“Lena, good evening!  I’m glad you could make it—I know how busy you are.”

Lena smiled politely, responding, “Well, I made a promise to a friend.”  Her therapist raised an eyebrow in question, and Lena added, “Fine, I also really need to get something out in the open and figure it out, and I **_probably_** should have come to you with it sooner.”  Lena raised her own eyebrows.  “Happy?”

“Oh, come now Lena, you know I’m always happy when I get to see you.  You’re a therapist’s wet dream.”  One of the things Lena appreciated most about Dr. Letamendi was her complete lack of decorum and her overly familiar demeanor.  She would’ve never guessed, but having a therapist who behaved more like a bartender was very much Lena’s thing. 

“Now now, Doctor, I don’t think it’s all that professional to talk to your clients about your nocturnal emissions.”  She grinned wickedly.

“Come now, Lena, we both know I’m not all **_that_** professional.  Now, what would you like to talk about tonight.  I’m sure you didn’t come here just to shoot the shit.”  Dr. Letamendi leaned back, fixing an expectant look on her face.  Lena sighed, preparing herself to actually open up and address whatever this was that she was feeling about Sam.

“Well.  I suppose we should try to figure out why I’ve barely said more than ten words to my best friend in the entire world over the past month.”  She couldn’t quite bring herself to look Dr. Letamendi in the eyes after saying this.  This was not a subject she had an easy time being vulnerable with, even with Kara.

“Ah, so you’re finally ready to talk about Sam?  Lena … Lena, look at me.”  She glanced over, and Dr. Letamendi’s face was full of warmth.  “I’m proud of you.  This is a big step, and I think you’re ready for it.  Now, tell me about Sam.”

Lena paused, considering where to start.  Then she floundered, having no fucking idea where to start.  Lena exhaled loudly.  “I honestly don’t know.  Ask me something, see if you can draw it out of me.  I really don’t know where to start.”

“I can do that.  You said you’ve only talked to her a handful of times in the past month.  So, what is the hold up?  What is stopping you from engaging?”

]The question gave her pause.  Briefly.  “I … okay so before I answer that, I need to explain something.  The reason I haven’t wanted to talk about this in our last two sessions is that I feel really fucking stupid.  I’m fully aware that my feelings have no foundation in fact, and I’ve avoided talking about it because I am so goddamn embarrassed that I’m having such juvenile emotions, and I can’t shake them.”

“You’re sure as shit not getting any judgment from me.  That’s why I’m here, so that you can tell me all the juvenile shit you’re sure you should be better than.  One of these days you’re going to learn this.  Now tell me what you’re feeling, dummy.”  That last challenge came with such affected exasperation that it caught Lena off guard, and she found herself blurting out an answer without thinking first.

“She isn’t **_my_** Sam anymore!”  Lena paused, following that train of thought.  “Sam isn’t … look, I **_know_** she isn’t Reign.  She was never Reign.  She had no control over the violence that was inflicted on Kara.”  Her train of thought halted, her resolve fading.

“But?”  Dr. Letamendi nudged.

“But I still see those red eyes at night.  Kara’s broken body.  That metallic voice goading me to join her in her dark mission.”  Lena shuddered without meaning to. 

“So you’re struggling with some subconscious part of yourself that associates Sam with Reign, despite knowing—on some abstract level—that Sam isn’t at fault.  Do you think that is because of Kara?  **_Or_** , something more?” 

“The way you say that makes me think that **_you_** definitely think there’s something more.  Kara is the only thing that makes sense to me.  But that isn’t it.  Sam was absolutely destroyed to think about what her body was made to do to Kara.  She still carries those scars.  That guilt.  And I hate that I make her feel even worse about it.  I don’t **_want_** to blame her.  If I could have figured out the reason why my heart is doing this when my head knows better, you and I wouldn’t be having this conversation.”  Lena wasn’t trying to be snarky, but she had only given in to Maggie’s insistence that she discuss Sam with Dr. Letamendi because she was at her wit’s end.  She felt so awful about it, and she had no idea why these feelings lingered. 

“Let me ask you this.  Is Sam any different now then before all this Reign drama happened?”  From her expression, Lena was sure that Dr. Letamendi already knew the answer, but Lena humoured her, because what the fuck else was she going to do? 

“Of course she is!  She can give herself a new name and a new mask and a new suit, but she has all of that **_monster’s_** powers now.  She isn’t **_my_** Sam anymore!  We … despite our very different backgrounds, in some ways, we were so very much the same, Sam and I.  It was always us against the world at LuthorCorp.  We just **_got_** each other, and no one else could touch that.  But now …”  She drifted off, her mind racing.  _But now, everything is different.  It isn’t me and Sam against the world.  It’s Kara and Sam against the world._

“I … fuck.  Kara’s the one who was beaten within an inch of her life, but Kara’s faith in Sam never wavered.  Kara never gave up on her, and she immediately forgave her once Reign was eliminated.  Kara was the one to support Sam through the grief and the guilt and the agonizing over the horrific violence committed by someone wearing her face.  Meanwhile … I just … I couldn’t.  They didn’t need me.  I had nothing to offer.”  Lena closed her eyes for just a moment, breathing deeply.  “Nothing was the same.  It should have been me, but I couldn’t do it.”  Lena wiped at her eyes, trying not to let the tears forming there escalate into something she couldn’t control. 

“That’s good, Lena.  Is it okay if I ask—why?  Why couldn’t you be there?  Why are things different between you and Sam?”  There was nothing but compassion in Dr. Letamendi’s voice, and Lena felt like she was being led somewhere, but where, she knew not.  She wasn’t there yet; she was still processing through her feelings on not being there for Sam.

“I know that Kara loves her—that they’re **_in_** love.  But Sam is my family.  I’ve known her for years.  Loved her for years.  Longer than Kara.  **_I_** should have been the one to believe in her.  To lift her out of that pit of darkness that she found herself in—”

Dr. Letamendi interrupted her, “Didn’t you?”  She paused, and Lena could tell the question was genuine, even though it was intentionally provocative.  “From what I understand, you’re the one who came up with the solution.  You’re the one that, for lack of a better terminology, exorcised her demon.  You brought her back when no one else could.  Lena, I suspect that we’re about to start getting at something under the surface here that you haven’t quite wrapped your mind around, but I do want you to understand this.  To genuinely **_believe_** it.  I’m not shitting on anything Kara did, but **_you’re_** the one who saved her.  You were there for your friend—your family—when she needed you most.  Never discount that.  Never.”

Lena was speechless.  Objectively, she knew this was true.  And she could think back and put herself in that headspace.  She was frantic at times, single-minded in her dogged pursuit of a way to save Sam from herself.  From Reign.  She had driven herself to the brink of emotional and physical exhaustion in doing so.  And she had saved her.

She remembered when Sam woke up, how she had immediately thanked Lena and told her that she saved her.  Her voice had been so rough with emotion, and when they got back to the DEO, she had asked Kara to give them a moment alone.  Sam had wrapped her up in her arms, and even though Lena resisted at first—some part of her still angry and unnerved by the Reign outfit—she had leaned in after a moment.  They had embraced for a very long time, and both had sobbed into each other.  It was a moment of pure catharsis.  Lena didn’t think that, deep down, either of them had truly believed that Sam would survive Reign.  And both were overwhelmingly relieved to have been wrong, but still fundamentally changed by the experience.  The trauma of it all.  Lena felt something shift as they released each other, as Sam left her to go change so that she could see Ruby.

So much had changed in the last month.  Reign was gone… but regardless, Sam wasn’t just Sam anymore.  She was **_Power Girl_** now, teaming up with Supergirl to redeem herself through heroics and selfless feats of service, grace, and strength.  The old Sam was gone, and whether it made sense or not, Lena was still mourning that loss.  The loss of who they used to be to each other.  And she didn’t know how to find her way back to a new foundation.  She had saved her friend’s life, but it felt as if she had somehow lost Sam anyway.  Lena hated feeling this way.  Hated it with a passion.  It made no fucking sense.  Sam still talked like Sam.  Joked like Sam.  She was exactly the same mom with Ruby.  Nothing was different, yet somehow **_everything_** was.  Lena’s fist tightened, and she could feel her nails biting into the skin of her palm.  It didn’t make sense.

Lena growled.  Literally.  _Christ, I’m picking up Kara’s bad habits._ She sighed, and decided that the only way to try to make sense of this was to keep talking.  She needed a perspective outside of her own fucked up mind.  “I don’t … I don’t know.  She just … I can’t see her … as **_my_** Sam.  **_We’re_** not the same Sam and Lena we’ve always been.  The thought I just had—nothing is different, with Sam.  She is the same as always, in so many ways.  **_Nothing_** is different.  But **_everything_** is different.  **_She_** is something—someone—different.”  Lena paused, processing again.  Trying to work through the swirl of thoughts and emotions crashing against each other in her subconscious.  “Sam is someone different.  More powerful.  **_Beyond me_**.  She’s … she’s more Kara now than me.”

Dr. Letamendi’s response was immediate and emphatic.  “There it is.”  Lena’s eyes shot up, wide and full of shock.

“There **_what_** is?!”  Lena pondered it, confused as to what her therapist meant.  “She … I … Seriously, what the fuck are you talking about?”

“Lena we’ve been working together for a while now, and you have made tremendous progress.  But that doesn’t mean that your foundational issues are gone forever.  They manifest in different ways, and as much as you’ve grown, it isn’t outside the realm of possibility that severe trauma can trigger your deepest insecurities and struggles in new and confusing ways.”  Lena gave that some thought.

_Insecurities.  Trust issues.  Isolation.  Inability to believe that I’m deserving of love—that people can really see me for myself.  But … Sam got past those barriers years ago.  How?_ Lena frowned.  Surely all that growth, all the trust and rapport and comfort she had developed with Sam over the years couldn’t have just evaporated.  The last couple of months had been traumatic, sure, but … it felt true, in a way.  Her walls were up again, when it came to Sam.  She didn’t have a fucking clue why that was the case, but she couldn’t deny it.

Lena looked up.  “I don’t see it.  Sam got past my barriers years ago.  She’s still her.  How are things different?  Why are my walls up again?”  She gave Dr. Letamendi her most intimidating Luthor stare.  “You are so sure that I admitted to some sort of foundational something or other—what is it?  What are you seeing that I’m not?”

Dr. Letamendi didn’t shrink in the slightest under Lena’s gaze.  “Lena.  You insist that while she’s still Sam, she’s no longer **_your_** Sam.  Now that Reign is gone, what is the only difference in Sam?  Don’t overthink it, there’s a simple answer here.”  Lena’s eyes narrowed as she considered the question.  _Don’t overthink it.  The only difference is_ …

Lena’s shot open, wide as plates.  _Oh.  Oh fuck._  

“ ** _There_** it is,” Dr. Letamendi chuckled.  “Now, let’s really dig into this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this on planes and in airports and before and after ClexaCon, which was a life-changing experience. Hope it flows well. Also I'm upping the rating on this fic now, because hey! It's my first ever sex scene. Hope it is hot and not awkward. :/


	33. Alex Danvers Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone hangs out with Alex, because she is wonderful.

** Chapter 33 **

It was a Saturday afternoon, and Sam found herself in full Power Girl regalia, wandering the DEO with the one and only Alex Danvers.  Ruby was hanging out with Lena and Kara, and Power Girl was on superhero duty while Supergirl enjoyed her weekend.  Fortunately, there was very little in the way of DEO-level incidents going on today, and other than a couple of quick rescues—Power Girl helped a lost little girl back to her mom, and a little later, put a stop to a minor robbery—Sam had spent the day hanging out with Alex.

She was still getting used to being Power Girl.  Cat Grant’s exclusive interview had been hugely popular when it dropped nearly two weeks ago, and the non-CatCo press response had been fairly mixed since she appeared on the scene at Supergirl’s side.  She couldn’t shake the feeling that people still looked at her with fear.  This was helpful when she faced off against criminals, but as much as she was proud to jump in and stop violence and wrongdoing, the look of pure terror in these criminals’ eyes, the genuine fear for their lives, still haunted Sam.  And that had nothing on the fear that she still received from some people she was actively trying to save or help.

But others had welcomed her with open arms.  There were many for whom Supergirl’s endorsement was more than enough to convince them that Power Girl was a force for good. 

Throughout it all, Alex had been a constant friend.  They had grown much closer as Sam’s association with the DEO took hold.  Alex had even taken to giving her a lollipop after their lab sessions, which were now thankfully waning.  Sam had a firm grasp on her powers now, and they were all but certain that Reign was gone forever.  Moreover, Alex had taken it upon herself to be Sam’s primary ally and mentor in the DEO, teaching her terminology and strategy, giving her the low down on different agents’ personalities and quirks, and going out of her way to be the agent in the field with Power Girl whenever possible. 

Sam didn’t quite have words for how much she appreciated Alex’s friendship.  It went beyond just being on good terms with her girlfriend’s sister—in some ways, Alex had filled a gaping hole in her heart left by Lena’s sudden alienation.  Plus Ruby loved her stories of working with Supergirl.

“So really, how long do you and Kara think you’re going to be able to hide it from her?”  Sam sidestepped Alex’s jab, then immediately moved her arm to block the kick she knew would follow.  They had been practicing hand-to-hand combat for weeks now, and while her offensive skillset was still shaky, Sam had gotten quite skilled at defense and evasion.  She gave Alex a snarky look as they retook their positions.  The sickly green glow of the room always looked so strange against Alex’s purple hair.  While Sam did have a weakness for kryptonite, her tolerance for the toxic element was so much higher than Kara’s that they had to practically irradiate the room with the stuff just to dull her reaction time and strength enough that Alex could train her.  If Kara stepped within 50 feet of the room, it’d probably knock her on her ass.

“Honestly, I’ve been entirely normal her whole life.  I’ve never had powers, and she has absolutely no reason to suspect that I’m Power Girl.  Plus we had J’onn pull the whole ‘Supergirl just wanted to stop by and say hello’ routine while Kara, Ruby, and I were hanging out.”  Sam cocked an eyebrow, before exploding into an offensive maneuver, hoping to catch Alex off guard.  Instead she found herself on her ass again.

Alex chuckled as she helped Sam up.  “I have no idea how you two manage to fight in those heavy ass capes.  Not only does it slow you down, it also forces you to exaggerate your movements slightly.  And I could already see them coming as it is.”   

“Well, when I’m not in a room with enough kryptonite to kill Kara three times over, the cape weighs almost nothing.  And I move faster than your eye can register, so it doesn’t exactly matter if Agent ‘Master of the Perfect Form’ Danvers can see my moves coming in training.”  Anticipating Alex’s retort, Sam added, “And my powers won’t disappear in different coloured sunlight, so the chances of me finding myself suddenly human again seem astronomically small.”

“Fine.  But for all we know, you’re not the only Worldkiller out there.  And who knows what other sorts of superpowered people might show up someday.  Better to be prepared, just in case you suddenly find yourself in a situation where some new stranger can match you blow-for-blow.”  Sam shuddered at the thought of that, literally.  She was the most physically powerful person on Earth, and she was slowly getting the impression that it wasn’t actually that close.  Kara and Kal El each had so many more weaknesses than her, and neither could quite match her speed and strength. 

“Yeah yeah yeah.  You know the only reason I keep coming to these sessions is because I like it when you’re a little rough with me.”  Alex’s reaction was immediate—her face scrunched up in that silly way it did when Sam inevitably made her uncomfortable, then her brow furrowed as if she were considering whether the fastest way out of this conversation was to kill Sam or run away.  Fortunately, she settled on scolding.

“Does Kara know how much you flirt with me?”  Sam shot her a look that made it very clear that Kara was very aware. 

“Come now, have you met me?  The only person flirtier than me is that girlfriend of yours.  It amazes me that it even still gets to you.”  Alex reached over to the panel on the wall and turned off the kryptonite emitters, signaling an end to their session.  Almost instantaneously, Sam felt the world around her become crisper, clearer, and louder.  The sweat practically evaporated from her skin as her heart rate normalized.  The pleasant strain she had worked into her muscles disappeared, and she almost missed the sensation.  Being a perfectly engineered pinnacle of evolution was a weird experience.  She walked with Alex towards the showers—if nothing else, Sam could tell she was making progress because she could actually make Alex sweat now.

“Yes well, unlike you crazy kids, Maggie and I are all old-fashioned and monogamous.”  Sam cocked her head, curious about Alex’s meaning.

“Alex, you **_do_** realize that just because we’re poly, that doesn’t mean I’m going around looking to jump into every pretty girl’s pants, right?”  Alex tried to keep a straight face, but Sam’s eyes could catch every tiny little microexpression these days.  “You **_do_**! Jesus, Alex what kind of person do you think I am?”  Sam shoved her playfully, but couldn’t pretend she wasn’t a little hurt.

“No! No no, okay, no.  Not like that.”  Alex looked over at her as they continued to walk, trying to reassure her.  “Sorry.  It’s still all kinda weird to me, but no, I definitely don’t think that.  It just feels … **_different_** … somehow, when you flirt with people other than Kara than when Maggie does it.  Maybe that isn’t fair—it isn’t something that I really understand anyway.”

“Well, for the record, you’re hot stuff Agent Danvers, and maybe in some alternate universe we could be a thing, but I’m definitely not looking to get in your pants.  For starters, Kara would never go for it, and honestly … I just don’t really see you that way.”  She winked casually.  “No offense.”

Alex snorted and rolled her eyes, but otherwise didn’t respond.  Sam dug a little deeper.  “If you’d like to discuss polyamory more over drinks sometime, I would really appreciate it.  Clearly there’s some issues—even if they’re minor ones—swirling around in that head of yours, and it’s important to me that my friends—not to mention my girlfriend’s sister—don’t think of me as … whatever.  My relationship with your sister is important and serious and wonderful and not something I take lightly.”  Alex frowned.  “And I think you get that, but there’s still some stuff there that you’re uneasy with.  That’s fine.  It’s why we should talk about it.  Especially now that you actually know me and stuff.”

Alex turned away from her, not hesitating to strip down as she tossed her sweaty clothes into her locker and grabbed a towel before turning to the showers.  Without looking back, Alex said softly, “I don’t mean to judge.  I’d really like to talk more about it sometime.”  Then she glanced back, smirked, and said, in a much more confident voice, “Now stop staring at my ass, and wait for me outside.”

Sam vacated the locker room with a joking pout and walked down the hallway.  She absentmindedly fiddled with the edge of her cowl.  It wasn’t uncomfortable—Winn had designed it to fit her head perfectly, and the materials were surprisingly soft and breathable.  But it was annoying to have to remain masked whenever she was at the DEO.  Power Girl’s identity was a highly classified, closely guarded secret, even within the black ops group.  Sam appreciated this, but it was a hassle at times.  While they had long since given up trying to keep Supergirl’s identity hidden from the rank and file, only Alex, Kara, J’onn, Lucy, Vasquez, Winn, and Pam from HR knew that Supergirl’s other girlfriend Samantha Arias was the red-wigged superhero formerly known as Reign.

She heard Alex coming before the agent had left the locker room, but she could tell Alex was being intentionally sneaky, so she feigned surprise when a voice rang out from directly behind her.  “So, when do you need to get back?  Do you and Kara have plans with Ruby tonight?”  She continued walking, matching Alex’s brisker pace, and tried to keep the frown from forming on her face.  She failed.

“We’re playing it by ear.  Doesn’t seem like National City will really be needing either of us tonight, so maybe.  Gotta coordinate with Kara.”  _So that I don’t have to see Lena_ , she left off.  Alex grabbed her arm and pulled her into a gentle hug.  Sam took a deep breath, trying to release some of the instant and overwhelming sorrow she always felt when she thought too hard about Lena these days.

“I know Kara has forbidden me from giving Lena the stern talking to that she so richly deserves, but you just say the word, and I’ll take whatever heat Kara wants to throw at me.”  Sam felt her heart lift a little in her chest.  The situation was so fucking bizarre.  Usually it would be Lena offering to take down whomever had potentially harmed Sam—she couldn’t quite wrap her brain around Lena being the one who was harming her, and Alex offering to step in and do something about it.

She was the new one in Kara’s life, the new one in town, the new one to their friend group.  Not to mention the whole ‘formerly a monster who nearly killed Supergirl’ thing.  And yet here Alex was, being protective and taking care of her like she was family.  She teared up but was able to answer.  “Please don’t.  This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to suffer through—which is saying something—” Sam laughed darkly, “—but I agree with Kara.  Lena’s talking to her therapist.  She’s working through this.  Hopefully.  She doesn’t respond well to lectures, especially when she already knows that she is in the wrong.  Whatever has driven this wedge between us, it’s going to take more than a stern talking to in order to resolve.  Even one from the terrifying and illustrious Alex Danvers.”

Alex grinned.  “You’re damn right, I am.  Anyways, the offer is on the table.  I love Lena, but I have no fucking clue what she’s doing here.  I’m amazed that you and Kara are able to put up with it.”

“If it weren’t for Lena, there would be no me to put up with anything,” Sam pointed out, quietly but firmly.  The response hit Alex like a ton of bricks, and she missed a step before catching herself and quickening her pace to return to Sam’s side.

“You’re right.  I’m being way harsh.  Have you talked to her—”

“About wanting to step down from the job I moved to National City to take?  Not yet.  I can barely get her in a room alone with me.”

“I don’t suppose this is something you should ambush her with either.  Still … you’re burning the candle at both ends.  You may not need much sleep anymore, but pulling triple duty between momming, CFOing, and superheroing is going to start taking a toll on you soon.  Whatever her issues, I’m sure—” 

The women had reached the main communications hub of the DEO several minutes prior, but Alex was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a creepy, nearly featureless talking doll’s head on every screen in the building.  It spoke with a distorted voice, which only added to the creep factor.

“ **You were warned.  Less than a year has passed since National City was nearly destroyed by alien invaders, and yet the world has continued to embrace our invaders as ‘heroes.’”**  Intentionally ominous-looking silhouettes of Supergirl and Superman flashed across the screen.  **“Now, an alien invader is being allowed to murder upstanding members of society with impunity.”**   A clip of Reign killing Morgan Edge played, only this time with footage apparently taken from inside the building, allowing the view to see all the gory detail as Reign melted away Morgan’s skull before tossing his body aside like garbage.  **“The city’s _beloved_ protector has seen fit in her infinite wisdom to declare herself and those like her above the law.  She has pardoned this monster for her crimes, and now the two openly conspire against humanity.”  **Camera footage of two silhouettes flying over the city, both distinctly female but otherwise featureless from far below.  **“The day is coming when they will give up the façade of heroism and declare openly their intentions to rule.  They come here posing as refugees only to inflict upon humanity their own twisted sense of morality.  A leopard cannot change its spots.  A tiger cannot change its stripes.  We have all seen the horrors Reign enacted upon this city in the name of her perverse sense of justice.  It is only a matter of time before she begins anew, this time with Supergirl at her side.  This despot has made her intentions clear.  Humanity must protect itself.  Time is running out.  Those who side with the invaders will be wiped out along with them.  We are Earth’s salvation.  We are Cadmus.”**  

Throughout the last part of the video, countless clips—shaky cam, ostensibly taken on cell phones—of Reign were shown.  Red eyes glowing.  Standing imposingly.  Moving at impossible speeds.  Beating, throwing, and incinerating people.  Sam felt her feet give out as she dropped to her knees.  Wave after wave of guilt and anger washed over her, threatening to drown her in the depths of her anguish and depression.  The voice of Cadmus rang in her ears on repeat.  “Monster.”  “Murderer.”  “Invader.”  “Despot.”

Images of her face.  Her eyes.  Her violence.  Everything flashed over and over again.  Sam couldn’t take it anymore.  Couldn’t look up at the eyes that were all firmly fixed on her now, waiting for a reaction.  “I’m sorry,” she whispered to Alex, then she was out of the DEO and into the sky.   She could breathe again.  But she couldn’t escape her past.  She’d never escape it.  She kept flying until day turned to night, with no destination in mind.

~~~~

“Holy shit, Kara, that feels incredible!”  Kara could feel the pleasure bubbling off of her as she ran her fingers firmly through soft strands of hair.  “Fuck, I **_needed_** this.”  Rivulets of warm water painted Kara’s hand.

“This feels so nice, Alex.  I’m glad you finally agreed to let me do this.”  She was still a little surprised that Alex had relaxed enough to trust Kara with this, much less enough to actually enjoy it.  She moved her fingers slowly and confidently, and Alex hummed in response.

 Varying shades of purple cascaded down as she gently kneaded Alex’s hair in the warm water.  She had always enjoyed having people play with her hair—it was one of Alex’s absolute favourite things, but Kara was the only person she had let do so back when they were teenagers.  Now, since Kara had learned how to cut and colour Alex’s hair (technically, she was pretty sure she could get her cosmetology license if she wanted it), she had been begging Alex to trust her with her beloved purple locks.

Kara had comported herself like a pro, though she wasn’t one to brag.  And it wasn’t like Alex could openly enjoy having someone’s hands in her hair if she was at the salon.  She’d have to wait to see what Alex thought, but she thought this was the best dye job yet.  Now she just had to trim it up around the back.  She moved at superspeed to grab the hair dryer, and before long she was flitting about with her handheld mirror, showing Alex the finished product from every possible angle.

“Holy shit, Kara.  I’m sorry I ever doubted you.”  She glanced over at Gertrude, who was hiding in the corner of the bathroom, shivering while she waited for all the movement to stop and the cuddles to resume.  “What do you think, Gerty?  Did Auntie Kara do good with Mommy’s hair?”  Gertrude’s head tilted in curiosity, but she darted forward just enough to lick Alex’s outstretched fingers before retreating again.  Alex turned back to Kara.  “You would think she’d have learned by now that Auntie Kara would never ever let anything happen to her, but no, she still hides like you’re gonna step on her.”

Kara shrugged.  “The world is a scary place for a tiny floof, Alex.  You shouldn’t mock her.”   They were both joking.  Kara knew that Alex’s softest spot was for that tiny little dog.  Alex got up and put her tank top back on, then met Kara back in the living room.  Gerty followed cautiously behind Alex’s bare feet.  “Alright, Alex, now that I’ve proven I’m capable of doing your hair, you have to tell me.”

Alex sighed, pouring a glass of whiskey and sitting down next to Kara on the couch.  Gertrude settled in, pressed firmly to the side of Alex’s thigh. “Kara, you were right about being able to do my hair; can’t you just be satisfied with that?”

Kara smiled at the exasperation in her sister’s voice.  “Nope.  That wasn’t our deal.  You’ve gotta fangirl with me now.”  She smiled slyly.

“Fiiiiine.  But I will never admit to being a fangirl.  To anyone.”  Kara got up and walked towards the kitchen.  “So spill it, who is your favourite ship?”  Kara opened the door of the fridge and was rewarded with four slices of leftover pizza.

“As if you don’t already know,” came the response.  Kara did, in fact, know, but she was going to force Alex to talk about geek girl stuff tonight. 

“Spill it,” she demanded between bites.  Alex grumbled a few choice four-letter words under her breath, fully aware that Kara could hear her, before finally giving in.

“Root and Shaw.”

“ ** _Shoot_** ,” Kara corrected.

“I’m not doing any of that stupid portmanteau fangirl shipper nonsense, Kara.  We’re not fifteen anymore!”

“Alex!  I **_know_** you.  It’s just us here, unless Maggie is filming us and you didn’t tell me?” Kara did a quick review of the room just in case.  “Nope!  It’s really just us.  You don’t have to play the part of Agent Alex Danvers, who never has fun!”

Alex groaned.  “I’m not drunk enough to let fangirl Alex out yet.”  Before she could blink, Kara had topped off her whiskey.

“Let’s fix that, then.”  Kara finished off the pizza, then plopped down on the couch, her feet in Alex’s lap.  “Now, why **_Shoot_**?  What is it about their love story that moves you so?”

Kara was met with an immediate sardonic look.  She didn’t give an inch, returning Alex’s mockery with a genuine curiosity and insistence.  Alex was the one who broke.  “Fiiine.  They’re brilliant and unusual and a rarity that just happened!  I just loved that the show creators didn’t even intend any kind of romance, they just went with it because it was there.  And it was so unlike any of that cheesy romcom shit that you love so much.  Just two badass chicks who knew their way around weaponry who happened to fall for each other while saving the world.”

“So tragic though.”  Kara immediately regretted her blurted out response, because she knew exactly where Alex was going next.

“Root is **_alive_**!  Nothing tragic about that.” 

Kara’s nose crinkled.  “Aleeeeeex!  I knowww.  Sorry I asked.”  Kara prayed to Rao that Alex didn’t start ranting about ‘fucking Harold’ and his ‘stupid fucking glasses.’

“Fine.  What’s yours?  Harry and Ginny?  Jack and Kate?  … No no, we’re all about the girl-girl relationships now, so … Cosima and Delphine is a little dark for my baby sis.  Clarke and Lexa is far too tragic.”  Alex took another sip, pondering.  “Okay, I’ve got it!  Brittany and Santana from Glee!”

Kara grinned.  “Ahhhh, I do love Brittanna, though not quite as much as QuinnBerry.  You’re wrong, though.  You forgot about anime!”

“Shit!  I’m an idiot.  Of course I forgot the literal cartoon version of your actual girlfriend.”  Alex rolled her eyes dramatically.

“Lena isn’t **_that_** much like Asami,” Kara protested half-heartedly.  She couldn’t pretend like that hadn’t absolutely been her thought when she had first gotten to know Lena.

“Uh huh.”  Alex’s voice was full of gleeful skepticism.  “You know, I don’t know how I didn’t realize you had a crush on Lena Luthor so much sooner.  You were obsessed with Asami when we watched that show together.” 

“You know the funniest part?”  Kara grinned wildly, unable to control her lips.  “Lena doesn’t see it.”

“No fucking way!”  Alex’s face was all shock and disbelief.  “Rich girl.  Evil family.  Trying to do good in the world.  Dark hair.  Green eyes.  Stupidly hot.  Falls for the chosen one.  _The Legends of Korra_ is basically a fictional version of your love story.”

“I know!  But she won’t see it!”  Kara frowned.  “Honestly, I think she’s just screwing with me.  But she hasn’t slipped, not once, and it has come up more than once.” 

“Alright, well that’s one more thing I’ve gotta yell at that dummy about …”  Alex’s voice drifted off as she realized what she was saying.  They had agreed not to discuss anything heavy tonight.  Things were so complicated with Sam and Lena, and now Cadmus was back on top of that, and it was hurting Supergirl’s reputation a little with each new video reminding the public of the atrocities committed by Reign.  They both just really needed a quiet night in, just the two of them, like old times.  Kara quickly changed the subject.

“Okay, you’ve gotta tell me a character you love who isn’t part of some violent, secret agent whatever.”

“Well, there’s Julia from—”

“Too dark!”

Alex glared at her but gave it some thought.  “Fine then!  I pick Janet, from _The Good Place._ ”

“Ahhhh!” Kara bounced in excitement.  “Such a great choice!  Janet is such an awesome girl—”

“ ** _Not_** **_a girl_**!”  Both Danvers shouted at the same time, correcting Kara’s rookie mistake.  Alex’s Janet impression was surprisingly good, and Kara checked to confirm her suspicion that the bottle of whiskey was now half-empty.  They both burst into laughter.  Gertrude startled, but not enough to leave Alex’s side.

“How much longer until the game starts?”  Kara glanced down at her watch.

“Should be soon,” she replied, picking up the remote to turn on the Olympics coverage.  “You sure you don’t wanna fly over to the penthouse really quick?”

Alex’s eyes shot sideways at her.  “Just us tonight.  We talked about this.  And I’m not sure I could avoid saying something to Lena, even if your TV is the size of my entire wall.”  Kara conceded the point.  They were waiting for the women’s hockey gold medal game to begin.  Kara was super nervous about it—Canada had beaten the United States 2-1 in the final game of the preliminary round, and there was an insane amount of hype for the gold medal game between the two countries.  The U.S. had lost the 2014 gold medal game in heartbreaking fashion, a fact which the TV broadcast would not allow Kara to forget.

She was still trying to get over the Ladies’ Short Program results from last night’s figure skating broadcast.  Kara had been absolutely captivated by Russia’s Evgenia Medvedeva ever since she came across a YouTube video of the teen skating a _Sailor Moon_ -themed routine.  Her short program had been so hauntingly beautiful, but she was upstaged by her frenemy Alina Zagitova.  

“Kara!”  Alex snapped in front of her face playfully.  “No more dwelling on figure skating.  Medvedeva will take it back in the free skate.  Tonight is about hockey.”

Kara grinned deviously at Alex.  “You know, I bet Hilary Knight is a Supergirl fan.  I could probably figure out a way to introduce you.”  Alex turned the brightest red Kara had ever seen.

“You know you can’t take advantage of your celebrity like that, Kara!”

“Plus, you might actually die if you met her in person.  I could ask her to kindly cover her arms if that would help?”  Alex immediately punched her on the arm.  Gertrude, not a fan of such violence, jumped down from the couch.  “Now you’ve upset the baby girl, geez Alex.”

“Whatever, she’ll come back.  Besides, the game is starting.  Stop teasing me.”  As it turns out, Gerty did not come back.  The game was intense and nerve-wracking, and Gertrude ended up retreating to the bedroom to hide from the yelling and antics of the Danvers sisters.  Heading into the third period, the girls were down 2-1, but a late breakaway goal by one of the Lamoureux twins—Monique?, Kara thought—forced an overtime period.  No one scored in the tense overtime, and Alex groaned as the game went to a shootout.

“Fuck, I hate shootouts.  Just do another overtime period!”  Alex was going to be so hungover in the morning.  The game had gone on for nearly three hours now.

“I don’t know why you hate it so much, it’s exciting!”

“Because Canada’s goalkeeper is insane, Kara!  We’re so fucked.”  Alex was sprawled out sideways on the couch, head in hands.  Kara was pacing behind the couch.  She had been unable to sit since Lamoureaux tied it in the third. 

“Well, I believe in this team.  They started shaky, but they’ve got the magic now.”  They stayed in position for the shootout, with Alex watching from behind her hands.  Canada shot first was blocked, and Kara jumped up and down shouting the U.S. goalkeeper’s name, “Rooney!  Rooney! Rooney!”

Gigi Martin scored the first shot for the U.S., and this time Alex joined Kara in her screams of glee.  Then the room went quiet again as Canada tied it up.  Nothing happened again until the fourth shot, and Alex started muttering, “Shit shit shit shit shit,” under her breath when Canada scored to take the advantage.  Kara glowered at her sister’s pessimism.

“Come on, Kessel, you’ve got this. Come on, come on—GOAAAAAAAL!”  Kara was shouting and jumping again.  Alex sat up, and Kara placed her hands firmly on Alex’s shoulders, both of them watching the final shot for each team tensely.  Who would break the tie?

Rooney saved Canada’s final shot, and Kara and Alex both went stiff.  They exchanged a hopeful look.  “Your girl has got this.  We saved the best for last.” 

Alex nodded, then shouted at the TV, “You got this Hilary!”

She didn’t have this.  Canada’s goalie blocked her attempt, and with everything still tied, the shootout went to a sixth round.  This time the U.S. shot first, and Alex jumped up with Kara when Jocelyn Lamoureaux pulled of the absolutely insane fakeout move to score.  Then the briefly paused, both standing upright on the couch, holding each other tightly as Canada tried to tie it back up.  As Maddie Rooney blocked the shot, the room erupted with the noise of gleeful Danvers sisters.  They shouted and hugged and ran around the room and watched as the team did more or less the same on the TV screen.  Maggie walked in during the celebrations, finding Kara upside down, back against the ceiling of the apartment, giggling her head off.

“Li’l Danvers!  Bad!  No hanging out on the ceiling!”  She laughed as Kara pouted, then floated back down to the floor.  Then Kara flashed over and wrapped Maggie up in a massive hug, picking the tiny detective off the ground.

“Magggiiiieeeeeee!  You have no idea what you missed!  WE WON!  THIS GAME WAS **_CRAZY_**!!  She put Maggie down, who promptly grabbed Gertrude to take her for a short walk outside before bed.  Kara scolded Alex for her pessimism, and Alex promised she would never doubt this team again.  They stayed up the extra thirty minutes or so to watch the gold medal ceremony, neither of them calm enough to sit back down.  When Maggie came in, she didn’t even bother interrupting, saying goodnight to Kara before heading into the bedroom with Gerty and closing the door.

Kara made sure Alex had at least three glasses of water before she headed back home to Lena, who she was sure would be asleep already.  She hugged Alex tightly before flying off, enjoying the afterglow of all their celebration.  It was the best Danvers sister night they had had in a long time, and she hadn’t realized just how much she had needed it.  Alex kissed her forehead, then looked at her knowingly, even through eyes foggy with booze and sleepiness.  “Get home safe, Kara.” 

“I will.  Drink some more water.  I’ll drop by with greasy food in the morning.” 

“Bless you.”

Kara got home to find Lena fast asleep, as expected, and she was in her PJs and snuggled up to Lena’s warmth in a heartbeat.   _Today was a good day._


	34. Fractures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena's issues with Sam are worse than ever, and shortly after a major confrontation between the two, Lena is kidnapped. Lillian is back, and she thinks she finally has a way to bring Lena into the Luthor fold.

** Chapter 34 **

The meeting was at the end of the day, and Sam had not informed her what it was about, only that it was a matter of pressing concern both professionally and personally.  So naturally, Lena had been dreading her 5:00 p.m. all day.  Poor Jess had been svubject to Lena’s increasingly temperamental mood as the day wore on, and while she was fully aware of the cause, none of her expert assistant sleuthing could produce an answer as to what the agenda was for Sam’s calendar event.

 _Is she quitting?  Can’t stand to even be in the same building with me anymore, I suppose.  Too busy superheroing around with **my** girlfriend.  _Lena knew that was petty.  Knew she was jumping to conclusions.  Hell, she knew the distance between herself and Sam was largely her own fault.  But the heart was a tricky, fickle little asshole of a muscle.

When Jess buzzed Sam in, Lena was immediately certain she had never witnessed her friend of over six years walk into a room with such hesitation.  Bordering on something like dread.  While this did nothing to calm the tempest of emotions and speculation in Lena’s mind, it did give her the sense of having the upper hand.  Whatever this meeting was about, Sam was not expecting a positive reaction from Lena.  Or at the very least, didn’t know what to expect.

Waiting for Sam to sit across from her before pressing her advantage, Lena was careful to project calm, cold Luthor confidence.  As Sam opened her mouth to speak, Lena cut in.  “Rather a ballsy move to schedule an end of the day meeting with your boss without any prior discussion or even so much as a subject line.”

Annoyance flashed across Sam’s face for a split second, replaced almost instantly by resignation and a forced pleasantness.  Perhaps she had believed this would be like casual meetings of old between the two, equal parts business and pleasure when it was just the two of them.  But their relationship hadn’t been like that of late, and Lena didn’t like being put ill at ease all day by a mysterious meeting of unknown purpose.  Sam had scheduled a sit down with Lena Luthor, CEO, and that was what she would get.  If she had wanted to talk to her **_friend_** , she should have invited her over for drinks.

“I’m sorry.  I thought about a few different ways to potentially have this conversation with you, but honestly, nothing felt right.  So, I just added it to your calendar before I chickened out again.”  _Again?_ There was a sincerity and vulnerability to Sam’s tone that almost slipped past Lena’s defenses.  “We just … we need to talk, Lee.”

Lena held strong, leaning back into her throne-like chair imperiously, allowing the trappings of her office to give her a necessary steel.  She could feel all her emotions bubbling just under the surface, and she sure as fuck wasn’t ready to give them free rein.  Her only response to Sam’s statement was a raised eyebrow.  Realizing that she would have to be the one to steer the conversation, Sam took a deep breath and leaned forward, settling her weight forward in the seat across Lena’s desk.  “I can’t keep doing this.”  _Here we go._ “I can’t be a good mom, girlfriend, CFO—” she paused to lock eyes with Lena, and the deep sorrow behind those soft brown irises threatened to swallow Lena, “— ** _and friend_** , while also trying to use my … powers … to help Supergirl.  I don’t have the time or energy, and I refuse to let my relationships suffer because I find myself with this unexpected burden thrust upon me.”  _Burden?_ Inwardly, Lena scoffed.  She had read the interview, seen Kara and Sam smiling brightly in their new **_costumes_**.  _Burden my ass._

This was exactly what Lena had dreaded.  Sam’s shiny new life had no place in it for L-Corp.  **_For Lena._**   “So, what then?  You want to resign?  Take some assistant job somewhere, so that you can flit in and out of work as often as you feel the urge for a good bout of vigilantism?”  Sam didn’t bother to hide the pain of the jab.  “Because I think you’ll find rather quickly that it is difficult to support a child on a superhero’s salary.”  A deep sense of self-loathing rocked through Lena, but she couldn’t stop herself.  Deep down, she knew that she would support Ruby and Sam financially if she felt the right choice for herself was to be Power Girl full-time, but Lena was acting fully out of hurt and insecurity now.

“What the fuck, Lee?”  Lena felt her eyes narrow at Sam’s brazen outburst, even though she knew that she deserved it.  “No, I don’t want to quit.  Jesus, I can’t believe you would even consider that might be what I want.  You **_know_** me better than that.” 

A tension began rising in her.  Lena was as determined to maintain her cool as she was sure that she would lose it soon.  “Know you, do I?  The Sam I knew believed in what we were doing here.  You believed in me, when I told you how I wanted to change LuthorCorp.  You believed in my vision.  You’ve been my partner in it every step of the way, and now—what?  It isn’t enough anymore?  Maybe I don’t wear a cape or murder rapists, but I do a hell of a lot of good for the world.  Not just National City.  But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that the mundane work of us mere mortals doesn’t hold the same significance with you that it used to.” 

Lena couldn’t keep the hurt fully out of her voice.  With anyone else, she wouldn’t worry about it, but Sam was right about something.  She did know Lena.  “I’m not!  Fuck, Lena. I’m not abandoning you.  I haven’t given up on this, and I don’t believe in you any less.  I just have to prioritize. I’m running myself ragged here.  I can’t in good conscience commit the same amount of myself to being your CFO as I could have before…”  Sam couldn’t bring herself to say it.  As far as Lena knew, she hadn’t uttered the word ‘Reign’ aloud since she had freed herself of that ghastly outfit the final time.

Sam continued before Lena could start insulting her again.  “I think Kaziah and I should switch roles.  You and I both know that she is fully deserving of the promotion, and there’s no way in which this isn’t a win.”  _My best friend doesn’t want to work directly with me anymore—I definitely wouldn’t call that a win._ “Kaziah would be the first openly alien CFO in the country—maybe in the world!  We can spin it, rather easily, that I am choosing to spend more time with my teenage daughter in the last few years I have with her before she goes off to college.  You and Kaziah both know that I am Power Girl, and with a lighter load, I can contribute to the greater good on both fronts, without straining my relationship with Ruby any further.” 

She was absolutely right, from a logistical and PR standpoint.  But all Lena could focus on was that Sam was looking to cut Lena out of her life as much as possible.  _This is just the first step down the inevitable path,_ a dark voice whispered in her ear.  How long before she wanted extra nights with Kara?  Before she was less okay with Lena taking care of Ruby?  Would it be months—a year—before her superheroes were too caught up in their mission, in their love for each other, in their family, to be bothered with keeping up with the effort of loving Lena.  How long before she was right back where she found herself when she first moved to National City—alone with nothing more than her goals and ambition.  Why would either of these literal goddesses need to keep her around anymore?

All of Lena’s deepest fears—everything that had been seething and growing under the surface since her synthetic kryptonite had ended Reign but left Sam with all the beast’s powers—felt justified.  So, she did what she knew best how to do; she retreated into herself.  “Fine.”  She tried to make it very clear from her tone that she considered the conversation over, the decision made. 

Confusion and turmoil were written all over Sam’s visage.  She seemed at a loss for words.  Lena considered that maybe she had expected more of a fight.  More derision.  Whatever, Lena wasn’t about to beg.  Her heart screamed at her to just talk about it, to just admit how much this hurt her.  But she wouldn’t allow it.  She would hold onto what remaining dignity she had left.  She was Lena Luthor.  Maybe she had thought, however briefly, that could mean something more for her, but she was hardly surprised to see life reasserting its old patterns again.  As much as she strived for it, she would never be anyone’s first priority.  Not for long.

Then Sam surprised her again.  She said it so softly that Lena almost missed it.  “I miss you, Lee.”  She got up out of the chair and paced halfway to the couch, before turning back to Lena, eyes fixed on her feet.  Then she looked up, eyes pleading.  “I don’t understand … w-what exactly I did to deserve this from you.  Why you’ve chosen to put this distance between us.  But … fuck, I’m done pretending it doesn’t faze me.  It hurts.  And I’m sorry.  I want to fix this.  Fix us.  I **_miss_** you.”

 _Then why are you leaving me behind?_ Lena knew this had started with her own fears about Reign, about Sam.  And that it was made worse by her own insecurities.  But she was working on it in therapy.  She had asked for time.  And this was the first time Sam had bothered to say anything about it.  Sam had never once pushed her to try to work out their issues.  Never once fought to force a fight, to get it all out in the open.  To have it out with her, like they would have done in the old days.  Lena knew what it felt like to have Sam fight for their relationship.  This felt like mere platitudes.  

Lena also got up, facing the floor-to-ceiling windows behind her.  She was at war with herself.  She couldn’t shake the dark voice.  The one insisting that everyone leaves eventually.  That love actually **_was_** a weakness, and one that was inevitably going to bite her in the ass.  As much as her heart shouted at her that her love was real, was reliable, she couldn’t shake this obvious and unavoidable truth: her oldest friend and her beloved partner were going to leave her behind.  Why wouldn’t they?

She refused to face Sam again.  Lena clasped her hands together behind her back, her posture straightening into a statuesque image of confidence and finality.  “Fine.  Your wish is granted.  Kaziah will be an incredible CFO.  I will talk to her first thing in the morning, and she and I will decide how and when to announce the news and restructure the department.  After all—”  she paused, almost convincing herself not to go here, “—she and I have already proven that we make an **_excellent_** team.  Lest anyone forget that it was technology and brainpower—not **_superpowers_** —that put an end to Reign.  We’ll be sure to cc you on any important decisions, and Kaziah will let you know when the plan is in place.  Now, I have some things I need to take care of, so kindly see yourself out, **_Ms. Arias_**.” 

Lena’s heart broke as her mouth emphasized the formal name viciously.  She felt her shoulders sag just slightly as her conscience berated her relentlessly. But it didn’t stop the spite and irrational fear driving her emotions from muttering one last retort under her breath as she heard Sam open the door to leave.  “You may as well go ahead and take Kara from me, too.  I can see where this is headed.”

She had no idea if Sam heard her.  She hoped not.  When Lena turned back to face the room, it was empty.  A sob immediately wracked her body, and she crumpled to the floor, leaning back against the harsh cold of the window as all the emotion of the confrontation bled out of her.  She had no clue how long she sat there, quietly wailing and hating herself.  There was no way that Jess couldn’t hear her, but the assistant was kind enough to leave Lena alone.

Eventually, she collected herself enough to slump back down into her chair, and she set to work, mechanically putting into place the necessary steps for her meeting with Kaziah in the morning.  She emailed Jess to set it up.  When she finally closed down her computer, over an hour had passed since Sam left.  Lena didn’t trust herself to look at Jess on her way out of the office, offering a passing goodbye with her eyes locked firmly ahead of her. 

Lena was so in her own head that she didn’t even think to ask Jess to have her car ready, but she was unsurprised to see that her assistant had taken care of it.  As she did with Jess, she averted her gaze when the driver moved to open her door.  A tiny sense in the back of her mind warned her that something felt off, but she couldn’t stand to risk Mark seeing the emotions she didn’t trust herself to keep off of her face.  She flung herself in the backseat as quickly as possible, and her entire body slumped into the comfortable leather.  She just wanted to be at home in her own bed.

Her mind was so taxed with trying to avoid the thought of talking to Kara about her day that her sudden and immediate realization of what her mind had been trying to tell her was far too late.  Just as she noticed the door was locked, she could smell the gas in the air.   Her hand was on her watch immediately, but she felt her motor control slip before she could get it open.  Her last thought was of Kara as the darkness took her.

~~~~

Kara could feel the panic consuming her body.  She hadn’t expected Lena home on time, not necessarily, after Sam had told her how poorly their meeting went.  Neither of them understood why Lena had placed so much distance between herself and Sam, but Sam thought Lena was very clearly still hurting for some reason.  She worried that Lena felt as though Sam and Kara would abandon her.  Sam hadn’t been eager to share a lot of details, and Kara got the sense that Lena may have really taken her emotions out on Sam.  Kara knew she couldn’t let this go on much longer before she felt like she had to intervene.  Had to understand what was going on with Lena.  But for tonight, she settled for sending Lena a comforting text.  She knew that Lena probably needed some space, so she didn’t press the issue.  Until it was 1 a.m., and she still hadn’t heard from Lena. 

She called several times on Lena’s cell and work phones, then immediately flew to the office.  No one was there, and it didn’t look like anyone had been in Lena’s office in hours.  That was the point at which Kara began to hyperventilate, and each breath pulled her higher and higher into the air.  As she breached the lowest level of cloud cover, she put her hands together over the center of her chest and forced a deep breath in and out.  Then again.  And again. 

Her head cleared slightly.  _She hasn’t used her beacon._   The thought washed over her like a soothing balm.  She wouldn’t have hesitated.  So, either she is okay … or she was caught off guard.  Taken.  Kara’s mind went wild again.  _Sam!_   She was the last person that Kara knew had seen Lena.  Well … Jess had too.  _She’s the next step, but first…_

Sam was asleep, but Kara was in her bedroom, kneeling beside the bed and gently waking her with a soft hand on her cheek in less than a minute.  She came out of her slumber softly, and Kara felt a momentary pang of warmth, then regret.  Nights where Sam slept peacefully, without being haunted by nightmares of Reign, were few and far between still.  Kara wish she hadn’t had to wake her.  They locked eyes, and Sam immediately sprung awake.  “Kara, baby, what’s wrong?”

“I can’t find her.”  Kara knew she was probably overreacted, but it was **_Lena_**.  “I … I know the meeting didn’t go well, but did she stay in the office after you left?  Did you stick around at all?”

Compassion flooded Sam’s bleary chocolate eyes.  “Baby, I don’t know.  I didn’t stick around.  She didn’t come home?”  Kara shook her head in frustration.  “But she didn’t activate her beacon?”  Kara shook her head again, more softly this time.  “It’s okay, she’s probably okay.  Maybe she went out drinking.  Or … did you check the basement lab?”  Kara’s eyes widened.  She hadn’t been thorough enough in her search.  She had panicked.  Maybe Lena had just fallen asleep in the lab.  Maybe her phone was on silent.  Maybe everything was fine.

“I’ll go check.”  Sam rose with Kara, grabbing her wrist before she took off.

“You go to L-Corp, search the whole building, see what you can find.  I’ll fly around, check out some of Lena’s hangouts, see if I can hear her.  We’ll stay in touch over the comms, okay?”  Kara nodded again.  “We’ll find her.  I promise.”  Kara’s heart relaxed from its panic for a split second, filled with love.  She kissed Sam quickly, then she was gone.  Back to L-Corp.

She started with the basement lab, then searched the entire building.  It took her about five minutes, and she found nothing.  “Sam, please tell me you found her.” 

The response was delayed by a few seconds, and Kara felt her heart race as she waited.  “Nothing yet.  I wanna check a couple more places.  Could you please go leave a note for Ruby, in case she wakes up and I’m gone, and meet me at the DEO.  We’ll regroup there.”  Kara needed a task, a goal to focus on, so she agreed.  She left the note and still beat Power Girl to the DEO.  Vasquez was on an overnight shift, so ey was the first person Kara found. 

“Lena is missing.  We have to find her!”  Vasquez looked up in surprise.

“Missing?  Are you sure?  For how long?”

Sam jumped in.  “We don’t know that she’s missing, not yet.  We just can’t find her.  Supergirl is, understandably, freaking out a little.”

“ ** _Of course_** I’m freaking out!  This is Lillian; it has to be.  It can’t be a coincidence that Cadmus started dropping videos again, and now Lena didn’t come home.”

“Ma’am, calm down.  We’ll figure it out, okay?  Now, how long has Lena been missing?”

Sam offered a guess.  “We can’t be sure, but as much as eight hours now, potentially.  We had a meeting at 5—it was fairly short, and I left at maybe 5:30.  I don’t know what happened to Lena after that.  I don’t think she would have left immediately, but Jess would know.  Lena’s assistant doesn’t leave until Lena does.”

“Jess!  That’s where we’ll start!”  Kara felt Sam’s hand on her arm, holding her down.  Kara’s brow furrowed.

“Supergirl.”  Kara sometimes hated being in the DEO with Sam, having to pretend not to be a couple.  “She’s asleep, and we don’t know that Lena is actually missing yet.  You can reach out to her first thing in the morning.”  Kara wanted to fight her.  Wanted to scream.  Lena was in trouble—who cared if she had to wake up Jess?

“Ma’am?”  Vasquez spoke up softly but firmly.  “Power Girl is right.  No need to wake the civilians just yet.  There’s plenty we can do here and now, okay?  We’re gonna find your girl.”  Kara fisted her hands tightly, knuckles going white.  But she kept her feet on the ground.  She pulled out her phone and was dialing when Sam’s hand again found her arm.

“Alex is already on her way.”  Kara nodded in recognition, but that wasn’t who she was calling.  There were four rings before the groggy voice answered.

“Whyyyy?”  Winn’s voice was 80 percent whine.

“We need you at the DEO right now, Winn.  Get dressed, I’m coming to get you.”

“Kara?  What—” Kara hung up.  She looked from Vasquez to Sam. 

“Get to work.  I’m getting backup.  We can’t leave her with Lillian.”  She didn’t like the doubt she saw in her friends’ eyes, but she didn’t have time to worry about it now.  She took off to go get Winn.

~~~~

Lena was seated in a surprisingly comfortable chair when she came to.  There was, however, nothing comfortable about waking up to the sight of her mother watching her predatorily from across the dimly lit room.  The elder Luthor had her hair pulled tightly behind her head in a bun and was clad in a fitted, but long, dark trench coat, collar perfectly framing her long, thin neck.  A thin smile painted her face, which was held in such a way as to mimic a warmth Lena believed was surely beyond her mother’s emotional capability.  They were in some sort of office lounge area, nothing as sophisticated as she was sure her mother would prefer, but sufficiently dark and villainous-looking.  She didn’t bother to check, but she was almost certain that the cyborg Hank Henshaw was lurking behind her somewhere. 

“Well well, National City’s most **_eminent_** and **_celebrated_** humanitarian and CEO finally wakes from her slumber.  How are you feeling, my darling daughter?”  Lillian’s voice was as Lena remembered it, equal parts ice, ire, and impishness.  “Now, come give your mother a hug.”  Lena was surprised to find that she wasn’t bound in any way, but her heart dropped when she realized that her watch had been taken.  She must have managed to get it open slightly before the gas knocked her out, and Lillian took it when she saw it for what it was.  “Okay.  So no hug.  Probably too much to ask.”

Lena considered her options.  Would Kara have even realized she was missing yet?  How long had she been out?  She immediately regretted how she had left things with Sam.  What if they thought she had simply … run away from her issues? 

And even if Kara was looking for her, where did Lillian take her, and why?  Lena hated having to play this by ear, but at least she had the use of her hands.  She crossed her legs and leaned back in the chair, gazing up at her mother with a look somewhere between boredom and impatience.  “Is all this tawdry show of power really necessary, Mother?  If you wanted to chat, you could’ve simply made an appointment with my secretary.”

Lillian’s mouth quirked up in a slight smirk.  “Oh yes, and I suppose you would have gladly agreed to meet without involving, say, the National City Police Department.”

“Well if I happened to have a friend on the force who just **_happened_** to arrive around the same time with a few of her heavily armed pals, that would just be an odd coincidence, I suppose.”  Lena relaxed her body, making it abundantly clear that she was not intimidated or otherwise ill at ease with this latest kidnapping.  “But, as long as I’m here, you may as well tell me what’s on your mind.”

“Oh believe me, I’ve finally got something that I **_know_** you’ll be interested in, dear.  Something that will finally open your eyes to the kinds of … **_creatures_** … these aliens are.”  _Oh for fuck’s sake.  Really, Mother?_   Lena couldn’t believe that her mother still hadn’t given up on her, after everything.  _The fuck does she have that she honestly believes could convince me to turn against my serious live-in, long-term girlfriend?_ Lena supposed that this was better than Lillian simply wanting her dead.  It was almost touching—her mother might be completely mad—genocidal, even—but she still believed in Lena.  Wanted her daughter on her side.

“This should be rich.  Well, let’s have it, Mom.  What’s your big selling point this time?  Are they spitting in our food now?  Torturing puppies?”  A deep and angry growl came from behind her, but Lillian’s eyes immediately shot daggers in the direction of the sound.  _Guess I was right about her pet cyborg._

”You know, you really hurt me, Lena.  No matter how hard I try to show it, you still doubt my love for you.  Do you know of any other mother who would kill for her daughter?”  Lena gaped at Lillian incredulously.  This was the most out of touch with reality Lena had ever seen her.  That, or Lena had finally reached a place where she was simply so unfazed by her Machiavellian manipulation tactics that she recognized the sheer absurdity of the things that came out of Lillian’s mouth.

Lena’s response dripped with sarcasm.  “No, I **_don't_**.  It's probably a **_good_** thing for society.”  Lena flashed a brilliant smile, tilting her head slightly to make her condescension very clear.

Lillian’s face hardened slightly, her lips pressing together in frustration.  “Yes, well, as charming as your jokes are, I think you’ll find that this is no laughing matter.”  She picked up a remote from the desk she was leaning on.  “This is going to hurt, but I want you to know that it brings me no pleasure having to tell you this.  But you deserve the truth.  You deserve to know what your … alien paramour … has been up to behind your back.  What she really thinks of you.”

The screen on the wall to Lena’s right lit up, displaying a small rectangle of grainy footage, likely from some sort of hidden camera.  The video began playing, and while the video quality was poor and there was no sound attached, the subjects of the video were clear.  Supergirl and Power Girl making out on the edge of a roof.  Lena couldn’t keep the shock off her face, but she refused to face her mother.  She needed to believe that the shock was because Lena didn’t know about Kara and Sam. 

Lena was surprised that Cadmus had gotten this footage.  Surely, there wasn’t anyone on the building with them—their superhearing would have detected any such peeping tom.  So, it must be a hidden camera installed innocuously on the building’s roof.  But how could they have known the heroes would be there?  The video shifted to another shot, this one at night and in an alleyway, but again of Supergirl and Powergirl together.  This time they were simply talking, but it was clear from their body language that they were very much in love.  Lena felt a pang in her heart, all her earlier insecurities and fears rushing back up into her throat.  They just looked so … **_right_** together.  The two Kryptonian heroes.  The most amazing women Lena knew. 

A few similar videos played, and then a few still images.  It became clear that Cadmus had installed or otherwise had access to cameras all over the city, and Lillian had been compiling and stockpiling useful footage for months.  The final one was a James Olsen-caliber shot.  Lena had no clue how Cadmus had gotten it, but it was of Supergirl and Power Girl wrapped into a tight kiss in midair, with the sun and clouds perfectly captured behind them in a way that almost made the Kryptonians glow.  They were posed as if slow dancing together, with Kara’s hands at Sam’s waist and Sam’s arms wrapped around Kara’s neck, golden curls flowing down over the black-clad arms.  It was a beautiful shot, one that she knew Kara and Sam would love, if not for the source.

Lena immediately committed to painting a believable cover story.  She didn’t know when she might be able to expect a rescue, and she wasn’t about to sit around waiting to be saved.  She might not be able to fly, but she was no damsel.  Her mother believed she was the master manipulator, but Lena had picked up a thing or two over the years.  She would play her mother’s game until she could turn it to her advantage.   She pushed herself up from the chair, refusing to look at Lillian but being sure to keep an icy visage on her face.  Lena paced, as if processing what she had been shown.  As if dealing with the stabbing pain of betrayal, but in a way that indicated she had no desire for Lillian to see her turmoil.  She even briefly wiped at her eye, as if scratching an itch, but she was sure Lillian would believe she was fighting back tears.

“The high and mighty Supergirl, who claims to be so righteous and upstanding, revealed for her true self: a hypocrite.  Not only is she working with that monster, she is fucking her behind your back.  She pretends to be committed to you, claimed that she would never hurt you, and while you’re hard at work, she’s off cavorting with the devil.”  Lillian couldn’t hide the satisfaction in her voice.  “Lena, she doesn’t deserve you.  That much is clear.  I tried to keep you off this path.  Her sort are not to be trusted, and while I’m not surprised that she would betray you so callously, I want you to know that I am here for you.  I can help you get back at them.”

Lena snapped, “I don't need your help, Mother.  If I want her gone, I can do it myself.”

“Oh, I'm well aware.  Don’t think I don’t know about your secret stores of kryptonite, even if I haven’t been able to locate them yet.  I’ve had to lay low since the Daxamite invasion, but I’ve kept tabs.  I know you’re the one who neutered Reign.  Pity how that ended up turning out for you.”

Lena flashed a furious glare at her mother, pouring some very real emotions into the façade she was creating.  “You know,  I'll never forget the time Cindy Ryan stole your little girlfriend.”  Lillian still said the word ‘girlfriend’ with such distaste.  Even when she was ostensibly trying to comfort and placate Lena, to woo her to her side, she couldn’t hide her judgment.  Frankly, Lena was a little shocked Lillian knew about Cindy.  She had happened a few years after Lillian first caught Lena with a girl, and from that moment until Kara, Lena had worked diligently to stay firmly in the closet.  She thought she had sufficiently hidden her exploits, conquests, and flings from Lillian, but clearly she had not.

“Took you months of planning, but you exacted your revenge.  You outed her diary, publicly humiliated her, ruined her life.”  Lillian’s voice sounded almost proud as she stalked around Lena, painting a picture of the epitome of Luthor power and control.  She grinned as she praised, “It was **_fantastic_**.”

Lena rolled her eyes.  “I was also nineteen, Mother.  Teenage hormones can cause even the best of us to engage in some less than savoury behaviours.”

Lillian tilted her head, gazing down at Lena wryly.  “There you go again, devaluing yourself.  You know, Lex was brilliant, but he was a hothead.”  Lillian halted her pacing, stopping in front of Lena and placing a hand on her arm as she made her impassioned pitch.  Lena rigidly held her face in a stony neutrality, as if refusing to let her mother see the inner turmoil.  Lena hoped that Lillian would believe her words were having their desired effect.  “You're equally as fiendish, but **_savvier_**.  You have a cold-blooded talent.  You can plot three moves ahead, use your brain.  When you finally own that—” she exhaled for emphasis, “—you'll be great.”

“Other than my apparent poor taste in women, I **_am_** great.”  Lena held her head a little higher, raising an eyebrow for emphasis on the word ‘am.’

“Perhaps, but your priorities are still out of whack.”  Lillian turned, giving Lena a little space to process.  “All this work you put into making the world a better place—solving hunger, clean energy, advancements in medical technology—none of it amounts to anything if one overpowered alien can wipe out swathes of the population with a single angry glance.”  Lillian paused, glancing back at Lena to gauge her audience.  “I’m not asking you to join Cadmus, not yet.  But surely we have a common enemy now.  Surely you can see that the Kryptonians at least cannot be trusted.  They have no moral center, no loyalty.  Nothing keeping them from turning on us all, when it suits their whims.”

Lena turned her head theatrically, as if she was actually considering this, but trying to hide it from Lillian.  She turned and walked slowly across the office, holding her body as if all the wheels in her head were turning.  As if her cold, angry Luthor lizard brain was slowly burning away whatever love she had felt for Kara.  Lillian’s voice came again from behind her, just a bit softer this time.

“I know you, Lena.  This betrayal won’t stand.  Whatever you might have felt for her before, you loathe this alien.  You want to kill her as much as I do.”

Lena stiffened, halting her slow stride as if caught off guard by Lillian’s blunt suggestion.  She lowered her head just enough for the movement to be visible.  She whispered, “Even if that were true, I'd never act on it.”

Lillian’s voice became stronger, more confident, as it filled with a feigned sweetness.  “Which is why you need your mother.  I won’t let you deal with this betrayal alone.  Finally, we can work together.  Please let me prove to you how much I love you.”

Lena glanced back at Lillian, warm tears brimming in her eyes without falling.  “Okay,” she whispered, filling her voice with doubt and confusion.  She was met with the exact reaction she wanted.  Lillian’s eyes flashed in triumph, and a smile broke across her face.

“Good girl.”  She stood and gestured towards the door, which made a loud and obvious click as it unlocked.  The face that greeted her, holding the door open for the exiting Luthors, caught her completely off guard, and she gasped in shock and dismay.

It was Jeremiah Danvers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE


	35. Memories that Haunt Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team continues their efforts to find Lena, while Sam struggles with her own inner turmoil.

** Chapter 35 **

Sam was doing her best to take care of Kara, but it was difficult with her own emotional turmoil raging.  It was almost noon, and Kara hadn’t slept at all.  Sam had left briefly to be there when Ruby woke up to get her fed and to school, and Vasquez had gone home to crash around 9:00.  Otherwise, everyone had been working nonstop to find Lena.  It became clear when the resources of the DEO were insufficient to track her down in the first hour that Kara’s fears were legitimate.

Winn hacked into cameras around L-Corp, and they were able to see when Lena left the building in one of her chauffeured cars.  Kara pointed out immediately that she didn’t recognize the driver—it definitely wasn’t Lena’s usual driver, Mark.  A quick search and facial recognition software made it very clear that whoever the mystery driver was, he didn’t match any employee of the car company employed by Lena.  Winn was able to track the movements of the car to the outskirts of town, but they lost it there.

At that point, Kara had freaked out about Lena not activating her beacon.  “Winn, can you track it?  I know that we made it so Lena could call to me if she needs me, but can it work the other way around?”

Winn’s face crinkled with consideration.  “Maybe …  give me some time to work on it.”  He eventually figured it out—Sam was quickly learning not to doubt Winn’s technical expertise or creativity—but unfortunately, it didn’t get them anywhere.  Kara found the destroyed watch abandoned on a road, right where the signal cut out.  She didn’t return immediately, and Sam had found her on the balcony of the penthouse.

Sam collapsed to the balcony floor next to her, wrapping the sobbing and distraught young woman up tightly in her arms.  Kara’s tears were hot enough that Sam could feel them through the lining of her cape and suit.  The remains of Lena’s watch were held tightly in Kara’s right hand.  Sam rubbed her back.  “Let it out, babe.  It’s okay, just let it out.”  Her other hand climbed to the back of Kara’s head, stroking through her hair and holding her firm and safe.  “Let it out, then we’ll regroup.  We’ll find her.  No giving up.”

Kara’s sobs died down, and she pulled back to look Sam in the eyes.  Sam pulled back her wig and cowl, so that it was just her and Kara in this moment.  No secret identities; nothing hidden between them.  Watery blue eyes drew strength from resolute brown ones.  Sam couldn’t be sure how long they had sat there in silence, holding each other without breaking their shared gaze.  Long enough that the air around them warmed and the sky transitioned from a nearly black navy to a thin royal blue.  The balcony was on the west side of the building, so they couldn’t see the sunrise, but they could both feel it.  Something shifted in Kara’s eyes, and she nodded.  It was a small movement, but it was steady.  Sam nodded back, and they stood together, Sam slipping her Power Girl disguise back into place before they took off for the DEO again.

Unfortunately, that was hours ago, and they still had no idea where Lena was.  Kara had withdrawn to a training room to destroy things, and Sam was left pacing the DEO, trying to wrap her mind around the many conflicting feelings raging through her.  She was still angry and hurting after the way Lena treated her yesterday.  Even when she had broken up with Sam, Lena never treated her like this.  She had pushed her away, put up walls—but she was never petty.  Never attacked her like yesterday, never actively tried to put her down. 

Sam thought back to that time.  It was among the three most difficult periods in her life.  She jumped a little at the hand that suddenly came to rest on her shoulder, however gentle the touch was.  She had been so lost in thought that she hadn’t noticed Alex come up behind her.

“Sorry!  I can’t remember the last time I managed to actually sneak up on a Kryptonian.”  Alex made an ‘oops’ face that was almost comical.  “Saw you pacing around and thought maybe you might wanna do some of that thinking out loud.  Bounce some ideas off a friend.”

Sam considered it.  “Yeah, maybe.”  Alex led her off to a conference room where they could chat uninterrupted.  “You know, even though I feel like I see you as Power Girl more often these days than I do Sam, it’s still a little weird.  Like, your eyes and your voice don’t quite fit because I expect … well, **_just_** Sam, not all the red hair and fancy materials.”

“Well, then, I guess that just means we’re actually friends now.”  Sam smiled softly.  “Rather than just work associates.  Or you know, sister’s girlfriend.” 

Alex smirked, taking a seat and easing her feet up onto the table casually.  “So, what’s going on in that head of yours?”

“A lot.  Too much,” Sam blurted out without thinking.  She had no clue where to start, so she figured she would just go full stream of consciousness and let out whatever first came to mind.  “Did you know that Lena and I used to date?”  The shock all over Alex’s face was all the answer Sam needed, so she continued.  “Yeah.  I mean … it was a long time ago.  Years.  We started as lovers, not friends.” 

Sam resumed her pacing.  “Before Kara, Lena was the only person I had ever really loved.  I mean … romantic love.  Obviously, I love Ruby.  Lena …  well, you’ve met her.  I’m sure Kara has talked your ear off about her.  She’s … incredible.  When she was younger, she had a slightly different kind of vibe about her—she still had all the hang ups, all the tremendous problems borne out of being raised in that family, but when I met her, she was just an up and coming scientist and engineer.  She was going to change the world.  Lena just sort of exuded this youthful ambition that was **_oh_** so captivating.” 

Blowing out an exasperated breath as her mind instantly corrected her, Sam spun and rushed to counter her own assertion.  “I mean, look, when I first met her, I wouldn’t give her the time of day.  **_Lena Luthor_**.  I didn’t care that she was gorgeous.  LutherCorp was my big chance to prove myself—you have no idea how hard I worked to get that chance without sacrificing a good childhood for Ruby.  And even though we were in different departments, I was terrified that Lena was the competition.  That I was going to be judged against the genius heiress whose name was on the letterhead.  I wasn’t having any of that shit.”

“How did you end up dating her then?”  Alex’s tone made it clear her curiosity had been piqued.

“She proved me wrong.”  Sam grinned at the memory.  “I think she was captivated by me from the moment we met.  I mean, maybe I’m a raging narcissist, but also she was trying to covertly get into my pants almost immediately, so I can’t be entirely wrong.  As much as I didn’t take her seriously, who else was I going to bond with?  Things at the company were starting to change under Lex, but the place was still drowning in the vestiges of Lionel’s old boy club.  And I’m stubborn, but I’m still open-minded.  I realized that I was wrong about her pretty quickly.”

Sam sighed, leaning back against the glass wall of the room.  “Lena wasn’t out of the closet back then, and the secrecy was incredibly sexy, at least at first.  The romance was a whirlwind, like something out of a movie.  Lee made me feel like I could conquer the world.  She looked at me like I was a goddess, and that was before I could fly and shoot lasers from my eyes.  I fell for her.  Hard and fast.”

“Then … why the breakup?  She wasn’t ready to be out?”

“That was a big part of it, yeah.  Six months isn’t a necessarily a long time to be dating, but what we had was real.  You know how it is when you just know that?  And I mean … I couldn’t even tell Ruby.  Not that Lena wasn’t wonderful with Ruby!  She just thought that we were best friends.”  Sam paused, feeling that familiar ache in her chest even after all these years.  “I was so in love with her, and it broke me to keep hiding it.  I felt like I would never be as important to Lena as her public appearance or her career ambitions.  And also … Lena can be a really hard person to love.”

“And yet two of the most amazing women I know have both been in love with her, so …”  Alex sounded a little confused, and Sam knew that her story wasn’t helping with Alex’s current frustration with Lena, kidnapping or no.

“Come now, Alex.  I said Lena is a hard person to love.  She’s very easy to **_fall_** in love **_with_**.”  Alex rolled her eyes at the distinction.  “Seriously, I gotta give insane props to Kara.  I think I was a little captivated with her before I even met her.  The way Lena talked about her.  I … am still a little astounded that Kara broke through to her.  Lena had so many walls up.  Still does, in some ways.  But … even beyond the coming out thing, Lena just wasn’t ready for love back then.  Wasn’t ready to let me in, to share her life with me.  Not like that anyway.  I couldn’t … I wanted her to be a part of my life.  I hadn’t made a connection that strong with anyone since my mom kicked me out at 17.  And I knew that we weren’t going to work as a couple, so I broke it off.  So that I could heal, and we could … reframe things.  Build on a sturdier foundation.”

She glanced over at Alex, who appeared to be processing something.  She glanced around, just to be sure no one was listening.  “Sam, are you … still in love with Lena?”

The question was an obvious one.  Sam was clearly affected deeply by Lena’s capture, and the first thing she wanted to talk about was their romantic history.  Of course Alex would ask that.  But it still caught her completely off guard.   She sat down across from Alex.  “No.  I mean… well.  I think I’ll always be a little in love with Lena.  But … you know how things are now.  How she treats me.”

“Sure, but that’s her issue.  I’m asking about how you feel.  You don’t talk about her like your feelings are all behind you.”  This didn’t sound like overly protective sister Alex, but Sam was wary anyway.

“All I know for sure right now is that I’m hurt and angry.  I mean … I’m worried, yeah, but almost more for Kara than for Lena.  Is that awful?”  Alex, who was 100 percent on Sam’s side in this whole thing, looked at her with legitimate concern in her eyes.  “Okay, so yeah, it’s awful.  Shit.  I’m a terrible person.  But …  I don’t deserve this, Alex!  I … Lena saved me, and I love her.  Not like that!  More than that!  She’s … she’s my family, Alex.  And she just saved my life, then cut me off like … like she didn’t see me anymore.  Like I really am that monster that haunts my nightmares.”  Sam cut herself off, tears welling in her eyes.  She hadn’t meant to admit that.

Sam fidgeted with her hands in her lap, but heard Alex get up and move towards her.  Her friend leaned over and wrapped her in a hug.  Sam rested her head softly on Alex’s shoulder and whispered, “But my hurt and pain doesn’t mean that she deserves whatever Lillian has in store for her.  Lena’s worked too hard to free herself of that bitch.  We have to save her.”  She patted Alex on the arm, and she backed up so Sam could stand.  Sam faced the door to face Kara, who she had sensed coming towards them.

“We can’t save her if we can’t find her.  And we can’t find her.  Nothing is working, and the DEO is out of large concrete blocks for me to crush.”  Sam’s heart broke all over again at the fear haunting Kara’s baby blues.  She had her arms around Kara before the words were fully out of her mouth.  Kara hugged her back, but her heart clearly wasn’t in it.  Her body was limp, her listlessness giving away her waning hope.  “I don’t know what else we can do.  Winn’s got nothing.  J’onn’s got nothing.  I can’t …  Sam, I can’t hear her.”  Kara’s voice broke and fell out as she tried to get out the last sentence.

Alex stepped closer to them both, and Sam was immediately worried by the strange look in her eyes.  She looked at Sam with complete and utter sympathy.  Nope, Sam didn’t like that look at all.  “I think I might have an idea.”

“And you’re sure I’m not going to like it.  Spit it out, Alex.”

“Okay, but I’m really sorry, Sam.”  She glanced back and forth between the Kryptonians, before fixing back on Sam.  “How much do you remember from Reign?”

 _Fuck._   Sam didn’t want to talk about this.  Not at all.  Not ever.  She looked at Alex incredulously, then shook her head and walked away from the Danvers sisters, back into the conference room.  She refused to look back at them, but she forced out an answer to Alex’s question.  “I don’t know.  Some.  I work really, **_really_** hard not to remember any of it.”

“Okay,” came the response from behind her.  “But … again, I am really sorry, but I have a thought.  Reign only killed violent criminals.  We know that.  Confirmed it.  So … she must have been meticulous in her research.  She made no mistakes.  Where did she get her information?  How could she be sure every time?  I wonder … if **_maybe_** she had some sort of Kryptonian supercomputer working for her.  Or something like that.”

Sam’s body tensed.  She lost her breath for a second, as her chest grew tight.  A panicked voice in her head screamed to just get out of there, burst through the ceiling at mach four, do whatever it took, just get the fuck away from this line of questioning.  She could feel the shift in the air as her body prepared itself for flight.

But she controlled herself.  Found her breathing.  Reminded herself that Lena needed her.  Kara needed her.  _The beast is gone.  She’s gone.  She’s gone. **She’s gone.**_   Kara’s hand was on her arm, and out of sheer instinct, Sam reacted by pulling her arm forcefully away.  She was across the room before she realized it.

“Kara … I’m sorry.”  Sam still couldn’t face either of them.  “I just … please, give me some space right now.”  She shook both her hands in the air, trying to wring out the stress flowing through her.  “There’s a place.  In the desert.  It’s like … a big crystalline structure, the size of a building.  Kind of a fortress.  That’s where Reign would go sometimes.  I … there’s something there.  I—” Sam struggled with her memories.

** < _A dark cavernous room. >_**

_** <A conversation with a dark woman.  She confirmed the misdeeds of a rapist who had escaped justice.  Was convicted of assault but only sentenced to six months in jail.  Got off after three for ‘good behaviour.’  The woman was … Reign could see through her as she left to enforce the justice this society failed to complete.>** _

_** <A hologram.>** _

_** <The man’s head melted in seconds as her vision burned through his skull.  She impaled the remains through the middle of the back, leaving the corpse hanging on the pole holding up the intersection lights at the street corner where she found him.>** _

_** <The pleasure of the kill radiated through her body.>** _

Sam collapsed to the floor, screaming in horror at her actions.  She could smell the burning flesh and bone.  She **_was_** a monster.  She enjoyed that kill.  It felt so good to end that little shit’s life, she could still **_feel_** how good it felt.  She slammed her fist into the floor in frustration, shaking the foundations of the building and punching clean through to the next floor.  “Fuck.”

Alex and Kara were beside her.  She could sense that they wanted to comfort her but were trying to respect her request for space.  “I’m sorry.  I’m sorry.  I’m sorry,” she gasped, her breath uneven.  “I killed him.  He needed to die.  I killed him.”  _I killed him.  I killed her.  She was in the way.  I had to put her down. **No Kara, no.**_ “No.  I didn’t.  I did.  I shouldn’t have… I’m sorry.  I’m so so sorry.”

“Sweetie, it’s okay.  It’s okay.  What’s … tell me how to help you.”  Kara’s voice was desperate.  It brought Sam back to the moment, to the real world.  She shook her head, trying to free herself of the horrifying memories. 

“I … I’m okay.  I … remember.  She had some sort of hologram helping her.  I’m guessing that’s your supercomputer.  Maybe that heinous bitch can find Lena, but … Kara you’re gonna have to play with the Kryptonian tech in there.  The hologram is one of those cultists, and she isn’t gonna fucking help us.  Trust me, I’ve talked to her before, the one time I became lucid while in that place.”

“Okay.  Well, we’ve got a plan at least.  But … Sam, sweetie, I need to know that you’re okay.”  Suddenly, Sam’s vision was filled with worried blue eyes.  Her heart flooded with warmth. 

“Kara … please just … I can’t.  Please don’t make me.  I can’t go in…”  She couldn’t even finish the thought.  Kara smiled at her understandingly.

“You get me there, and that’s all I need.  I’ll handle the rest, I promise.”

~~~~

It looked just like Kal’s fortress in the arctic, but it had taken on the sandy colour of the desert around it.  As soon as it came into view, she halted.  Sam settled next to her, anxiety radiating off of her.  Kara wrapped one arm around Sam’s waist and lovingly stroked Sam’s cheek with the other hand.  “Thank you.”  Sam leaned her head into Kara’s hand, seemingly drawing strength from Kara’s touch.  “I love you, so much.  Thank you for being so brave.  You did good, and I am so sorry to make you relive any of this.  But you’ve done your part.  I’ve got this now.  You never have to see this place again, if you don’t want to.  Go home, see if there’s anything you can do there.  I’m sure there’s a cat in a tree that could use saving, at least.”

Sam chuckled, cracking a slight smile.  She hugged Kara tightly, pulling back just enough to look her in the eyes when she said, “We’re going to find her.  I’ll get the DEO team ready to go.  You just let me know when you find her, and we’ll meet you there, Supergirl.”  Kara smiled brightly, and in that moment, she had complete faith that they were going to save Lena.  Sam leaned in and kissed her, then took off.  Five words settled into Kara’s ears in Sam’s wake: “I love you too, Blondie.”

Kara turned to face Reign’s fortress, filled with warmth and strength.  She was so inspired by her girlfriend’s bravery.  If Sam could face those memories and this place, Kara could figure out how to force a cultist Kryptonian hologram to find Lena, no problem.  She felt like she could tackle anything, if that’s what it took to protect the people she loved. 

She was inside in a flash, not wasting time with searching the structure.  She could bother with that later.  As Kara entered the central chamber, which was lit in the **_exactly_** the sort of dark and oppressive manner that you would expect from a being called a Worldkiller, her eyes were drawn to the raised cult sigil in the center of the room.  In a heartbeat, she had crushed it beneath her fists, stamping out the remnants of the monster who had left such lasting scars in her Sam.  Then she found the control panel, powered by the missing crystal Sam had found in her pod.  It was raised almost entirely out of the depression that housed it.  Kara pressed it all the way in, so that only about three inches remained raised out of the panel.  As the interface lit up, Kara quickly found the controls she was looking for.

Across the room, the hologram flickered to life.  The cultist was younger than Kara expected, dressed in the heavy black cloak and gown of a priestess.  As the woman turned and caught sight of the cracked remains of the sigil, her eyes flashed and her brow furrowed.  “What blasphemy is this?!”  She noticed Kara, her face shifted from a confused rage to a defined scowl.  “Ah.  Kara Zor-El, of the corrupt House of El.  How did you discover this place?”

Kara snorted.  _She has no idea_ , Kara thought, recollections of Medusa leaping to mind unbidden.  “How I got here is unimportant, cultist.  Tell me what your purpose is.”

The hologram scoffed, signaling very clearly that Kara could not expect any real compliance from the construct.  Nevertheless, she answered the command.  “I am here to guide and support the glorious mission of our dark goddess.”

“And how do you accomplish these goals?”

“Through whatever means necessary.”

“But specifically.  What use are you?”

“Do not think you can manipulate me, **_Supergirl_**.”  She used the name derisively.  “My capabilities are of no concern to you.  They are for Reign alone.”

“And if I told you I was working with Reign now?”

“I know lies when I hear them.”

“Fine.  We’ll have to do this the hard way.”  Kara moved back to the panel and ejected the crystal, which was the primary source of power and control for the entire structure.  The lights dimmed to nothing, and that’s when Kara noticed it.  There was a hole in the ceiling of the structure, shining sunlight down into the dark cavern.  She wondered if Sam did that.  She’d have to ask later; no time to ponder it now.  She flew up and out in an instant, blasting northward at her full speed.

It took Kara only about thirty minutes to return from Kal’s fortress, with a different crystal in hand.  “Alright, let’s see how much of an attitude you have this time.”  The crystal was the same type as the fortress’s power crystal, but this one was attuned to the members of the House of El.  Kara hoped this worked, saying a silent prayer to Rao as she inserted the new crystal.  The fortress came back to life around her, but this time the ominous red lighting was replaced by the clean white-blue light of Kal’s fortress.  She again activated the hologram and was again met with a scowl.

“I grow tired of your feeble attempts to—”

“Shut up.”  Kara said it calmly, but firmly, and the hologram immediately complied.  Anger flashed across her face. 

“I am a tool of the great Reign.  You will not corrupt me in this way.  I refuse—”

“You will refuse nothing, and you will never see Reign ever again.”  Kara stalked angrily towards the hologram, her eyes orange and hot.  “She is gone.  **_Destroyed_**.  Only Sam is left, and I swear to Rao I will never let you harm her again.  She has suffered enough in the name of your lost cause.  **_Now_** , you’re going to tell me what I want to know, and I’ll figure out what to do with you later.”

“Lies.  Blasphemy.  The Worldkillers cannot be destroyed.  Reign is so far beyond you and your pathetic Samantha Ari—”

“ ** _Shut.  Up_** ,” Kara screamed.  The hologram went silent again.  “Samantha Arias is one of the bravest, kindest, most determined and amazing people I’ve ever met.  Reign’s name doesn’t deserve to be said in the same breath as Samantha Arias.  Your **_goddess_** is gone, whether you believe it or not, and she was defeated by the sheer brilliance and willpower of a human and a Coluan.  She was cast out and erased by Sam’s friends.  Her family.  And I forbid you from insulting Sam ever again.”  She glared at the cultist, who glared right back.  “Now, if we’re done with the pleasantries, tell me how you procured information for Reign.  How did you confirm the guilt of her victims?”

The hologram’s voice was tight with fury and resistance, but she answered.  “I have full and unlimited access to nearly all public and private information on this planet.”

“Perfect.  I need you to find someone.”

“I refuse.”

“Yeah sure, good luck with that.  Lena Luthor is the one who defeated your Reign.  She is the best of what humanity has to offer.  I almost pity you and your kind, with your twisted views on perfection and superiority.  Lena Luthor is more of a goddess than Reign ever could’ve been.  Now, tell me where to find her, and tell me right damn now.”


	36. Lena

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena digs deeper into her act at Cadmus, until Supergirl and Power Girl show up to save the day. Then Lena and Sam finally have it out.

** Chapter 36 **

Lena had no clue how her mother managed to keeping finding large enough venues to house her secret Cadmus bases while also remaining completely hidden from even the DEO.  Cadmus had to have supporters inside the U.S. government, she was sure of that much.  She more or less hated the woman at this point, but she couldn’t deny that Lillian was incredibly resourceful. 

“Obviously, I can’t show you everything right away.  We may be temporarily aligned against the Kryptonians, but I’m not about to just forget your behaviour since our dear Lex was taken from us.  You’ll have to earn my trust slowly if you decide to actually join us here at Cadmus.  Suffice to say, we’ve been biding our time, but we’ve certainly not been idle since the Daxamite invasion.”

Lena pretended she was considering—seriously, but not **_too_** seriously—her mother’s comments.  She hadn’t decided yet whether this was to be a one-time performance or if taking down her mother might require a longer con than that.  She was prepared for either—whatever it took to take her mother down once and for all.  And to protect Kara and Sam.

**_Kara._ **

Lena kept her demeanor steely, but her heart broke all over again.  Kara—and Alex—were going to be crushed.  She stole a glance at the cyborg to her right.  The **_second_** cyborg.  Jeremiah’s face was still intact, as far as Lena could tell, but the rest of him was all robotics and tech.  The Cadmus alterations were far more extensive than with Henshaw, and Lena honestly couldn’t tell whether Jeremiah was working for them of his own accord anymore.  Or even if some part of him was still in there, really. 

He hadn’t said two words to her since she arrived, and she couldn’t get a good read on him.  She hadn’t trusted him before these modifications, not after how he manipulated Kara and Alex so thoroughly.  Even though he had turned on Lillian to help Alex board the refugee ship, these modifications changed everything.  At minimum, he was under Lillian’s control, but it was entirely possible that Cadmus had completely altered his personality, whether by turning him into an unthinking robot or a devoted Cadmus fanatic like Henshaw.  Who was walking behind her and watching her every move as if she might pull a gun on her mother at any moment.  Even though she was sure they had searched her before she woke from whatever gas they had deployed in the car.  Lena did her best to keep a sideways glance fixed on Jeremiah—he had become her new priority.  She owed that to Kara.  To **_Alex._**   She hadn’t forgotten her promise to Alex that they were in this together.  Then she heard a certain word come out of her mother’s mouth, instantly drawing all of her attention.

 “… your stores of kryptonite, of course.  Obviously, killing them is the easiest solution, but clearly I have underestimated your creativity, Lena.”  She wasn’t yet sure what all Lillian had been talking about—nor did she care—but it was abundantly clear that Cadmus wanted her kryptonite.  And apparently her ability to alter and adapt the kryptonite to new purposes.  “That **_is_** how you tamed Reign’s more murderous tendencies, wasn’t it darling?”

“It was more complicated than that, but that is something similar to the truth of it, yes Mother.  I was able to develop a strain of kryptonite that expelled the genocidal side of her personality.  The substance is remarkably malleable.  Maybe Lex could have discovered that if he wasn’t so single-minded and fanatical.”  Lena watched her mother’s face to measure her reaction.  Her lips tightened, but it was the only sign that she took offense to Lena’s casual criticism of Lex. 

They had walked through a series of hallways, all dark walls and nondescript doors.  Some had guards posted; others not.  Lena was too distracted by her consideration of Jeremiah—who still hadn’t said a word—to even attempt any sort of casual mapping of the facility in her mind.  Now they passed through a large set of doors into a much larger room.  It was equal parts command center and hangar.  There were no fewer than 10 or 12 vehicles housed in front of massive garage doors, ranging from a sleek Mercedes sedan to a couple of armoured Humvees.  All black, because Cadmus knew how to commit to a theme.  To their right was a staircase leading up to a large glass and concrete communications hub, filled with agents in dark clothes.  _I_ s _she about to let me go, just_ _like that?_   

Lillian halted, turning back to Lena.  The cyborgs took up positions by the door.  Her mother looked her right in the eyes, the tightness around her eyes and lips gone.  “Well, that’s precisely what I meant, Lena.  You have a temperament that I think I underestimated in favour of your brother.  His devotion to the cause was remarkable, but it’s your creativity and patience that could end up being the difference for us.  I … was wrong about you, Lena.  I am sorry for underestimating you.”  The fact that Lena wasn’t 100 percent sure that Lillian was saying this solely to manipulate her was a testament, perhaps, to the growth her mother had achieved.  Some part of her was legitimately trying to connect with Lena, beyond simply manipulating her to serve a particular purpose.  Lillian began walking again, leading their little group over to a seating area—well, more of a lounge, really—positioned near the center of the hangar, just below the command center.  They took seats opposite each other, and Lillian gestured to the cyborgs to leave them.  Jeremiah looked as if he would argue—Lena got the sense that he genuinely deposed Lillian and would sooner cut off his own nose than follow her every whim—but she raised an eyebrow pointedly and moved her hand threateningly to the bracelet on her right wrist.  Jeremiah immediately backed off, following Henshaw up to the command center.  Lena made note of the exchange—Lillian was controlling him through threat of force, it would appear.  Maybe his body was programmed to feel pain at the press of a button.

 Lena didn’t show any of this in her body language or expression, easing herself into the surprisingly comfortable chair.  A woman appeared suddenly from a door behind her and set piping hot glasses of tea on the table between the Luthor women.  “Well, well.  I never expected this amount of … **_humility_ ** from you, Mother.  I can’t quite fathom what took you so long to see that I am **_not_** the consolation prize to Lex.  Maybe if you had done so sooner, we wouldn’t have been so at odds my entire life.”  _We absolutely would have._   “Now, do tell.  What have you done with the Danvers patriarch?  Couldn’t handle having someone around who actually cares about his daughter fully?”

The jab was in character, and Lena couldn’t help it.  Plus she needed to assess what was done to Jeremiah without drawing suspicion.  Lillian narrowed her eyes, but Lena was sure it was in reaction to Lena’s criticism, not in suspicion.

“Don’t push it, Lena.  We’re just starting to get along again.”  Lena endured a lingering glower before her mother continued.  “Ah yes, Jeremiah **_Danvers_**.  Such promise until his daughter insisted on being such a fly in the ointment.  You know, I tried to recruit Alex to Cadmus?  She’s a remarkable woman, incredibly strong.  Of course, that was before I knew she shared some of your … less **_desirable_** traits.”  Lena bristled at the veiled comment about her sexuality. 

“But that is beside the point.  Yes, I grew tired of Jeremiah’s insolence.  No one can say I wasn’t patient.  He had over a decade to get with the program, and I truly believed he was there until the incident with Alex and the trash we were sending off planet.  _The alien refugees you tried to forcibly deport, you mean?_   “After that, I had a choice to make.  Kill him or make him more … **_compliant_**.  I chose the latter.  He still has a role to play in the coming fight.  And he can be of use to us both.”

“How so?”  Lena kept her voice neutral.  She was hoping that her mother’s tendency to brag and speechify would get the better of her.

“He should serve as perfectly adequate bait once we have a plan in place for destroying your … ex.  Not to mention that he is quite the capable soldier now.  And if he steps out of line—” she glanced down at her wrist, “—I make sure that he regrets it thoroughly.”  Lena was disgusted by the pleasantness, the sheer pride, in Lillian’s voice, as she described casually torturing someone who had previously been a good man.  “How delicious would it be to have him be the one to take out Supergirl.  Assuming you don’t want that pleasure for yourself, of course.”  Lena worked hard to hide the revulsion she felt at the increased joy in her mother’s tone at the thought of Kara’s demise by Lena’s hand.  She couldn’t let her façade fall apart now.

“So … you already have a plan in mind?”

“Well, as I was saying **_earlier_** —” Lena winced, Lillian making it very clear that she knew Lena wasn’t paying attention before, “—I had hoped that you would share your kryptonite, and we could find a way to have a little fun before we destroy that awful girl and her cohorts.”

“I’m not quite sure I’m ready for that yet, Mother.  I’m in this … but as I said before, I can handle it myself.  I’m not entirely sure why I need you, or your pet cyborg.  I’ll be perfectly sufficient bait myself, when I’m ready.  I’m not entirely convinced I can trust something like kryptonite with someone who is so … **_emotional_**.”  Lena didn’t bother hiding the derision in her voice—on this particular topic, she and her character were on the same page.

Lillian, to her credit, was almost successful at hiding her inner rage at Lena’s insolence.  “Trust me, Lena, I’ve more to show you.  Before I release you—and yes, I **_will_** release you—I intend to make it abundantly clear how many advantages there will be if you finally take your rightful place at my side.” 

Lena couldn’t hide her surprise.  She was playing her part better than she could’ve hoped—she never actually believed she would be able to just talk her way out of this base.  Alas, Lillian wasn’t finished.  “But first, I have to try to understand.  Lena, how could you change the name of the company?”

Lena almost snickered.  Of all things **_that_** is what Lillian was concerned with?  “ ** _Really,_** Mother?  Nearly two years, and you’re still up in arms about a **_name_**?  This is exactly what I’m trying to get you to understand.  The name is a tool.  You’re far too emotionally invested in a symbol.  Changing the name bought me tremendous public good will, and the company is more profitable than ever.  Which are things that actually help me accomplish my goals.  Your pride and blind stubbornness get you absolutely nothing of worth.” 

Lillian looked less than inspired by Lena’s explanation, and Lena didn’t bother hiding her delight at getting under Lillian’s skin.  However, her snide response was interrupted with a bang.  Literally.  Lillian’s mouth was still open, retort dead on her lips, as Lena’s girlfriend burst in through the roof, in all her Supergirl glory.  Lena wasn’t sure Kara had ever looked any more beautiful than she did at that moment.  But she kept her face locked in full Luthor mode.  At least until she was sure Lillian couldn’t escape again.  Taking a deep breath to steel herself, she stayed in character and offered Kara a snide, “Supergirl, welcome to our evil lair.  I see your flair for destruction hasn’t waned—is it really so hard to use the front door?”

Kara’s face fell, and she looked at Lena incredulously.  Lillian cackled, standing slowly before taunting the hero.  “Lena sees you for who you really are, Kryptonian.  Your spell over her is broken.”  Kara looked crestfallen, briefly, before a look of sheer determination took over her visage.  “Oh, you don’t believe me?  Tell her yourself, Lena.”

Lena’s heart fell out of her chest.  She didn’t want to do this to Kara, not even for a second.  But she had to keep her eyes on the prize.  She followed Lillian’s lead, standing and strutting over to stand next to her, facing down Kara with a look of pure disdain.  “Mother is right.  The jig is up, Kara.  I know that you betrayed me.  I know that you’ve been cheating on me with **_Reign_** —” Lena hoped Kara would take note of her pointed use of the wrong name, “—and I finally see now. I see the truth.  That you Kryptonians are incapable of real love.”

Kara’s entire body shrunk, and her brow her furrowed in pain and confusion.  Fortunately, Lena was saved from Kara’s devastated face by the sudden appearance of Power Girl at her side.  Lillian smirked.  “Speak of the devil—”  She was interrupted by the very loud entrance of an entire squadron of DEO agents blowing up the hangar door and rushing in to surround them, led by J’onn and Alex.  Henshaw leapt down from above, taking a protective stance at Lillian’s side, and Lena could hear a number of the agents above them pointing guns at the heavily armed intruders.

“Oh, the other Danvers, well isn’t this a **_pleasant_** surprise.” Lena cringed inwardly.  Lillian was enjoying this game, and Lena knew what came next.  She didn’t want the sisters to have to find out this way. She kept the tears out of her eyes but could feel her resolve cracking. She wanted nothing more than to run to Kara, to wrap her hand around her waist and support her through this. “I guess it is the perfect time for a family reunion.” Lillian gestured dramatically, and Jeremiah leapt down, settling in on the other side of Henshaw.  Lena thought she read pain and regret on his face, but she didn’t know the man well enough to be sure.

“Dad!”  Alex jumped to run to him, but J’onn caught her by the arm.

“Alex, no.  Look at him.”

“Alex, honey, I am so—”  Jeremiah’s heartfelt apology was interrupted as he leaned forward, grimacing in pain.  Lena’s eyes immediately fell to Lillian’s wrist, and sure enough, her left thumb was pressed into the bracelet.

“That’s quite enough, Jeremiah; I thought you had gotten better about not speaking unless spoken to.”  Lillian turned her attention back to Alex, malevolence glittering in her eyes.  “As the Martian has so astutely noticed, we have made certain **_improvements_** to your dear ole dad.  I think you’ll be quite impressed with them.  Cadmus is happy to welcome you into our ranks, Agent Danvers, if you would like to finally take your rightful place at your father’s side.  Look at how much happier Lena is now that she’s come to her senses.”  Lena knew she should affect some sort of smirk, to play along with her mother’s game, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at Alex with anything other than genuine remorse.  She was unsurprised by Alex’s reaction.

If looks could kill, Alex would have just murdered both Luthor women.  Lena’s heart broke for the woman who had become like a sister to her.  She didn’t deserve this pain.  Alex threatened, “I’ll kill you for this.”  Lena wasn’t sure the comment was directed solely at Lillian.  “Dad!  Please, Dad, please, tell me you’re alright.”  Jeremiah didn’t move at all, but regret painted every feature of his face. 

“You know, Lena, I suppose you were right about emotions.  Taking them out of the equation has certainly made Mr. Danvers here a more loyal soldier.”  Kara’s eyes glowed orange, and Lena felt her icy façade come undone.  She worried that if she wasn’t standing so close to Lillian, Kara would have already pulled a Reign and melted her face off.  Lillian certainly deserved it, but cold-blooded murder would have destroyed Kara.  Lena reacted, her love for Kara overriding any desire to continue the charade.

She took a forceful step forward and shouted, “Kara, no!  You’re better than this.”  Orange gave way to blue again, and Kara breathed in deeply.  A flash of relief crossed her face.  Lena avoided looking back at her mother but could feel the anger radiating off of her.  _Gue_ ss _she was really buying the spurned lover routine._

“Enough of this.  Power Girl, get Lena out of here.  Keep her safe!”  Sam hesitated for only a moment—Lena was sure she wanted to be here to support Kara and Alex, but she also couldn’t risk giving away her identity, especially around Lillian. 

As Sam moved to grab her, Lena shouted to her hero, “Kara, be careful!  I don’t think she has kryptonite, but do **_not_** underestimate her!  And I’m sorry, love, but you can’t trust Jeremiah!  I don’t think he’s in there anymore.”  Then she was out of the building and into in the air, Sam’s superpowered arm the only thing separating her from the chilly twilight of the evening sky.

“Sam!”  Lena shouted over the roar of the wind.  “We have to go back!  We have to help them!”  The response was immediate and emphatic.

“No!  You’re the priority.  Kara will be distracted enough by Jeremiah; she needs to know you’re safe.  **_I_** need to know you’re safe.”

Lena’s eyes widened at the admission.  She could feel her heart pounding in her chest.  Lena was grateful they had come for her so quickly, but she was terrified for Kara.  Even if she, J’onn, and the DEO were capable of taking down the cyborgs and Cadmus agents, Kara and Alex were up against an impossible emotional battle.  Yet, Lena also envied them in a way—part of her still very much wanted to be back there, to be the one to decide her mother’s fate.  To end her.

And then there were her feelings about the woman holding her aloft right then.  Sam’s arm held Lena tight to her side.  It was so similar to flying with Kara—on the few occasions Kara didn’t carry her bridal-style—and yet so different.  If she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine it was Kara carrying her home.  But Sam’s scent was so distinctive, so familiar after all these years.  It was so strange.

Part of her was amazed that Sam even came.  Lena felt tears well up in her eyes as she remembered the awful things she had said, but here Sam was, saving her life.  Holding her tight as if she was precious cargo.  Lena felt her breathing increase, syncing up with her racing heartbeat.  She knew she was hyperventilating, but she couldn’t stop herself.  

“Lena!  Hold on.  We’re almost to the DEO!  Please, just hold on.”  Sam’s other hand came to rest on Lena’s chest, trying to calm her.  That was when the first sob wracked Lena’s body.  She heard Sam whisper, “fuck it,” and then they were descending.  Sam set her down, and she crumpled to the ground.  Sam was immediately right there in front of her, cowl and wig gone, and Lena was wrapped up in her arms in an instant, giving into the sobs that overtook her body.

She felt Sam’s hand on her back, rubbing soothingly.  It did nothing to assuage her guilt, and she only cried that much harder.  “Lena, it’s okay.  We found you.  We got you.”  Her other hand moved to Lena’s hair, holding her head firmly.  “I got you.”

Lena couldn’t take it anymore.  She tried to get the words out.  “I— S-S-Sam, I …”  Another sob choked off her words.  She tried to catch her breath, tried to calm down enough to admit it.  Lena didn’t know if she had ever felt this out of control.  “Sam, I a-a-am s-s-so—” she took a deep breath, steadying herself but only slightly, “so s-sorry.”  Sam’s eyebrows raised in surprise, then her whole face fell.

She moved back from Lena, as if suddenly worried she might break her.  Sam’s fists tightened, and she took a moment before she said anything.  “I’m not sure you have anything to apologize about.  I see that now.  I see everything clearly.”  She wouldn’t meet Lena’s gaze, and her voice was so soft.  So defeated.  “I know… I know that you don’t see me as your friend anymore.  When you look at me … all you see is **_her_**.”  _No, Sam, no that isn’t true.  You’re not!_ Lena couldn’t get the words out; she could only listen in horror as Sam drowned in her own self-hatred. 

“You were right.  I know that now.  Know that I’m a monster.” Her voice cracked, and now they were both crying.  “But I’m trying to be w-worthy of her love.  To do as much good as possible—” she shook her head angrily, “—as if it is even possible to cleanse my hands of the gallons of blood they’re stained with.  You’re right not to trust me.”  Lena’s heart felt as though it shattered into a million pieces.  She reached out and took Sam’s hand.

“You’re **_not_** a monster.  This is on me.  I **_made_** you feel this way, at the worst possible time.  When I should have been there for you most.”  Sam allowed Lena to pull her closer, and Lena put a hand on her cheek, lifting her face so that brown eyes met green ones.  Neither of them could stop crying.  “Samantha Arias, you are incredible.  You are **_not_** Reign.  You **_are not_** a monster.  You’re the most resilient person I have **_ever_** met, love.” 

Sam’s watery eyes stayed fixed on Lena’s.  She was listening at least.  This was all Lena’s fault; she **_had_** to get through to her.  “That’s what bonds all three of us, you, me, and Kara.  We’ve been through so much, each of us—so much loss, pain, and devastation.  But we **_always_** get back up.  We grow stronger for it.  We all come out the other side, but we can only do it **_together_**.”  Lena smiled through her tears, and Sam’s eyes brightened, even as her face continued to hold its doubtful expression.  “But look, my struggles are nothing compared to yours and Kara’s.  You hear me, Samantha?  You are both so so strong.”  She grinned wistfully.  “And now you’re literally strong, and you’re this gorgeous, amazing superhero couple.  And you can understand her in ways I can’t—“ Lena knew she was rambling, but she was on a roll now, “—and why do either of you even **_want_** me in your life when you’ve got each other?”

Lena broke again.  She looked away, her face drowning in tears.  She hated herself.  Her shame and insecurity.  And jealousy.  “I know, I **_know_** , that I am being absurd.  I am so sorry for how awful I have been to you.  How terrible I have made your life, and Kara’s.  **_I_** am the monster for putting you through this, but I just …”  Lena took in a deep breath but wasn’t able to halt her tears.  “I don’t … I don’t understand where I fit anymore.  You two don’t need me anymore.”

Superspeed was a crazy thing.  She found herself in Sam’s arms again before she could breathe.  Her hand was firm on Lena’s cheek, and there was maybe an inch of space between them now.  Sam’s eyes were fervent.  “Lee.  **_Of course_** we need you.  Is that really what this was all about?!”  Sam’s voice was passionate and insistent.  “You don’t need powers.  And our powers don’t define us.  Babe, you are the **_best_** of us.”

Lena felt the warmth permeate her body.  The adrenaline continued to coarse roughly through her, and suddenly she could feel all the energy barely contained by the tiny space between them.  All of her insecurities, all of her doubt and fear and out of control emotion, had been off base—but it was all still there, and it threatened to overwhelm the both of them.  Maybe it wasn’t jealousy or insecurity, not at the core of it.  Maybe …

Before Lena could think about it, her lips were on Sam’s.  It was as if the only gravity that existed in that moment was the force between their two bodies.  The kiss was desperate and passionate, as if all the emotions that had been tearing them apart from each other were now sewing them together in the best possible way.  A low growl escaped her throat as her body screamed for Sam.  The taste of her lips.   The scent of her hair all around Lena.  The feel of her hand in Lena’s hair, and her other wrapped tightly around her lower back.  Her body struggling to press itself as tightly to Lena’s as possible.  Their tongue tracing agonizingly incredible shapes together.   

Her hands roamed across Sam’s body, and it all felt so familiar.  So right.  The electricity between them was overpowering, feeding off the storm of raw emotions that had so nearly consumed them.  Then Lena’s hands froze.

**_Kara._ **

She pushed herself back from Sam, needing the distance to keep their lips from succumbing to gravity again.  “Sam, we can’t.  Not yet.  We have to talk to Kara, before we can … do any of this.”  The events of the past day came flooding back. “Kara!” 

“I need to go check on her!”  Sam’s cheeks were flushed, and her lips were raw and swollen.  But her voice was every bit as concerned as Lena’s.  They had let their emotion consume them, but now wasn’t the time.  Kara needed them.

“Drop me off at the DEO.  I’ll jump on the comms there, and you can trust that I’ll be safe. And you can go get our girl.”  The cowl was back in place, and they were in the air again before Lena could even catch her breath.  “Just … be careful.  You can’t underestimate Lillian.  And you have to protect Kara and Alex.  She will absolutely use Jeremiah against them.” 

They landed in the DEO, and Sam was all Power Girl.  Lena guessed that the majority of the DEO didn’t know her secret identity.  But her eyes were all Sam.  They exchanged a meaningful look, one that was all promise and desire.  Then Power Girl turned to take off.  “Go get our girl!”


	37. Jeremiah Danvers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back to the battle at the Cadmus base. We find out the extent of Lillian's control over Jeremiah, and Kara is faced with an impossible choice.

** Chapter 37 **

Assured that Lena was safe now, Kara could focus fully on the horror show before her.  Lillian, standing there in front of her, smug as ever.  Henshaw, now moved to her right, bristling with antagonism, especially towards J’onn.  Jeremiah, or what used to be Jeremiah, hunched robotically on Lillian’s left, avoiding her gaze.  J’onn, standing straight, but to Kara’s eye, clearly poised to attack at a moment’s notice.  Alex, gun pointed, barely containing her fury as a bundle of emotions threatened to overwhelm and consume her.

Kara said a silent prayer to Rao, thanking him for Lena.  Kara’s rage had been so close to boiling over into action, before Lena finally broke out of the role she was playing and reminded Kara of who she was.  What she stood for.  Even now, even here, with the stakes so high, Lena wouldn’t let anything push Kara into something she would later regret, something that might destroy her. 

So now, when Kara turned back to face Lillian, she was in full control of herself.  Her rage would be useful in the inevitable fight, but it would be her fuel, not her master.  “What have you done to our father, Lillian?”

Lillian’s face split into a wide, shit-eating grin, and Kara heard Alex’s finger tighten the tiniest possible amount on the trigger of her gun.  “As our last encounter with Agent Danvers confirmed, Jeremiah proved himself to be far too independent in his thinking to be a good Cadmus soldier.  So, I took away his independence—”

“You turned him into a robot with no free will?!  Why bother, you pathetic psychopath?  Why not just put him out of his misery?!”  Alex’s voice was fiery and cutting, but Lillian reacted with nothing more than a sly smirk.

“Well, I could point out that he has classified knowledge of the workings of the DEO that continues to be helpful to our mission, but if I’m being truly honest, the look on your face right now, Agent Danvers, and that of your adopted alien, is all the reason I needed.” 

That’s when all hell broke loose.  Henshaw intercepted the blazing blue blast of Alex’s favourite gun, aimed directly at Lillian’s head.  Whatever metal comprised his arm, it was strong—he sustained some damage from the blast, but not enough to render the arm unusable.  He then moved towards Alex, only to be intercepted himself by J’onn.  At the same time, a hail of gunfire erupted in the hangar between the two opposing military forces. 

Kara’s first concern was Lillian, followed closely by Jeremiah.  As the battle began, Lillian immediately retreated away from the gunfire, with Jeremiah serving as her shield.  Kara sped to cut off Lillian’s exit, and the woman’s eyes flashed with hatred for her.  “ ** _Supergirl_** , always in the way, aren’t you?  Even when you’re caught red-handed, betraying my daughter, somehow she remains solidly under your spell.  What have you done to her?”

Kara scoffed.  Lillian couldn’t possibly understand what she and Lena shared.  “It’s over, Lillian.  You won’t get away this time.  You’re a danger to Lena, to me and my loved ones, and to the world at large.  But no longer.  It ends here.  I’m taking you in.”

“Oh, I don’t think so.”  She stepped back.  “Jeremiah, please take care of this pesky alien invader.” 

Jeremiah maintained his defensive stance in front of Lillian but made no move to attack Kara.  Their eyes locked, and she could read the deep anguish that tortured Jeremiah’s soul.  “No,” he said, just loud enough to be heard over the sounds of the violence around them.  He then braced himself, just in time for the wave of pain that brought him to his knees and forced a scream of agony from his throat.

“Dad!”  Alex shouted, rushing towards them as she fired off shot after shot at Lillian.  Jeremiah’s arm acted of its own accord, blocking the shots, even as he continued to shout.  Kara moved towards Lillian at full speed, and while Jeremiah’s body moved to intercept her, he wasn’t nearly as fast as she was.  Kara was behind Lillian in an instant, catching her in a headlock.

“Release him!  It’s over.”  Kara tightened her arms enough to prove a point.  Lillian winced in pain but did not release Jeremiah from his torment, and despite the pain written across his face, his body was pointing no fewer than six visible weapons at Kara and Alex, who had come to a stop with her gun leveled at Lillian.  “Lillian!”

The head of Cadmus cackled.  “He is programmed to defend me with his life, so you’re playing with fire here, girls.  He clearly doesn’t want to hurt you, but if you continue to threaten me, he will have no choice in the matter.”  She turned her head slightly in Kara’s chokehold so she could look at Alex, just to prove that the pain would not stop her.  “And lest you get any ideas, know that if I die, your father is programmed with a self-destruct sequence that will go off and will absolutely level this whole structure.  Supergirl might survive, but you and your father certainly won’t, Agent Danvers.”

Kara gasped, releasing Lillian and taking a step back.  Alex didn’t move a muscle, but Lillian released Jeremiah from his torture.  When Kara stepped away from Lillian, his body was on Kara in an instantly, punching her right in the gut, hard enough that it both hurt and sent her stumbling backwards.  Then he was back into a defensive position, shielding Lillian behind him.  Kara wasn’t injured—she immediately recovered and stood her ground—but the shock of Jeremiah actually attacking her shook her to her core.

“Dad, you have to fight this.”  Alex’s gun lowered slightly when Jeremiah stepped in between her and Lillian.  Her voice was tight with emotion, and Kara could read the emotion in her overly tight body language as if there was a neon sign above her head. 

Jeremiah grimaced.  “I can’t, honey.  My body isn’t my own anymore.”  He looked back and forth between his daughters, and Kara just wanted to wrap him up and protect him.  He looked so defeated.  Lillian had finally broken him after all these years.  “Kara you have to get your sister out of here.  I can’t stop myself if you come after Lillian, and I don’t want to put you in that position.  I’m a danger to you both.  **_Please_** , Kara.”

Kara felt bad, but there was no way she was going to let Lillian escape.  She had no problem with detaining Jeremiah by force until Winn or Lena could figure out how to deprogram him.  He might be stronger now, but he wasn’t Supergirl strong.  Her fists tightened as she made the decision, but then Alex grabbed her arm.  “Kara, we can’t risk it.”

She looked back at Alex, dumbfounded, as the agent continued her plea.  “If he has a self-destruct, there’s no chance that she can’t activate it remotely herself.  Besides, you don’t know what kind of weaponry she has equipped this new body with.  There’s no way to guarantee you could contain him without hurting him—or him hurting one of us.”  Kara’s brow furrowed.  _Sure there was—I just have to get him out of the hangar, up into the air.  Alex can handle Lillian herself._  

But Alex’s eyes were too much for her.  She was pleading to Kara with everything she had—Jeremiah was so important to her.  Kara took a moment to survey the situation around them.  The DEO had suffered some casualties, but had nearly defeated the Cadmus agents in the room.  J’onn had incapacitated—or possible killed, for all Kara knew—Henshaw and was helping the DEO agents turn the tide against the remaining Cadmus agents.  Kara could hear the telltale sounds of a helicopter approaching, but she honestly had no idea if it was Cadmus or DEO.  She didn’t know if Sam was coming back, but she didn’t have time to wait.  She had to make a decision.

Except that Lillian Luthor was quite happy to make it for her.  “I have a better idea, girls.  I’m leaving.  Right now.  You can either stop me, or deal with the self-destruct sequence I just activated in your father’s new body.”  Red LED indicators across his metallic limbs suddenly lit up, pulsing slowly.  “You’ve got maybe five minutes to try to see if you can defuse the bomb.  You can either chase me, or deal with him.  And make no mistake, if either of you so much as touches me, I’ll blow us all to hell right now.”  She started walking backwards towards a nearby door.  “Time to make a decision, Supergirl.”

As she moved, she pulled a gun seemingly out of nowhere, pointing it menacingly at Jeremiah’s head.  A small contingency of Cadmus agents moved into formation around Lillian and escorted her out.  Kara glowered at her, but she had already made her decision.  Alex was right.  She turned from Lillian and shouted, “J’onn!  Get over here!”  She turned her x-ray vision on Jeremiah, hoping to locate whatever explosive device was contained within, but his cybernetics were lined with a thin layer of lead.  Lillian had thought of everything.

In a flash, she had moved Jeremiah to a nearby seat, and J’onn knelt down beside his old friend.  “Lillian planted a bomb inside Jeremiah—we have only a few minutes to defuse it.”  J’onn shot her a look of concern, and when she glanced at Alex there was nothing but fear and rage contained in her eyes.  “J’onn, I thought you could phase through him and remove it, but his body is lined with lead.  I can’t locate the device.”

Jeremiah placed a hand on her forearm.  “Kara, there is no device.  I’m the bomb.  It isn’t something you can remove, and I doubt you have a bombs or cybernetics expert here to figure out how to deactivate the sequence before it goes off.” 

“No,” Alex whispered, tears welling in her eyes.

“I’m sorry, sweetie, but you’ve all got to get to safety right now.  Lillian doesn’t make idle threats.  This … this is goodbye, girls.”  He stood up.  “I am so so sorry for everything I’ve done in the past year.  If I could have found a way to come home to you, I would have.  But I did everything I could to protect you from the inside.  I failed you.”

Alex rushed to him, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.  J’onn gestured with his head to indicate that he needed to evacuate his troops and their prisoners.  Jeremiah nodded, without letting go of Alex.  “Do what you have to do, old friend—just always remember your promise to protect my girls.”

“The DEO will remember you as you were, Jeremiah.”  J’onn was gone immediately, leaving Kara standing there with her adopted family.  She felt completely frozen by the shock and horror of the moment.  She couldn’t believe after all this, they were about to lose him for good.,  Alex was sobbing violently, shouting, “I won’t let you go,” over and over.  Jeremiah rubbed her back soothingly, then pushed her away.

The pulsing of the lights was increasing in speed, and that broke Kara from her daze.  “Alex!  You have to evacuate, **_right now_**!  I’ll stay with him to the end, I promise.” 

Alex shook her head forcefully.  “I’m not leaving him Kara.  We have to find a way to save him.  It c-can’t.  Can’t **_end_** this way.”

Jeremiah put his hands on Alex’s shoulders.  “Alex, I am so very proud of you.  You’ve grown so much.  You’re the DEO’s top agent, and I’m sure you’ll be running the place before too long.  You know who you are, and you’ve always protected your sister.  You found an amazing woman who loves and supports you.”  He cracked a grin.  “And I love what you’ve done with your hair.  Purple looks great on you.”  Tears continued to paint Alex’s cheeks, but she stood there, listening to Jeremiah’s final words to her.  “I love you, Alex Danvers.  A father couldn’t ask for a better daughter.  But you have to go now.  My time is over.  Yours is just beginning.  Kara needs you.  Maggie needs you.  The world needs you.  Go make me proud.”

He wrapped her in a fierce hug, and at the same time, Kara caught J’onn’s attention.  The last agents were escaping the building now.  As the hug broke, the pulsing increased again, and Kara shouted, “Alex you have to go **_now_**!”  When she didn’t move, J’onn moved quickly to take her away. 

“ ** _NO!  No no, Dad!! No, please!”_** Alex’s cries were loud and anguished, cutting through her family members still in the room.  “ ** _I love you!  I’m sorry, Dad.  I’m sorry.  I love you!_** ”  And then she and J’onn were gone, leaving Kara alone with her adopted father.

“I know,” he whispered after her.  Then he turned to Kara and hugged her tightly.  “You sure you can handle this, kiddo?”  In his dying moments, his only concern was for Kara’s safety.  She smiled through her tears and hugged him back that much more tightly. 

“I can handle a little explosion, Jeremiah.  I’m not leaving you.”  She pulled back and looked him in the eyes.  “I need you to know that I’ll take care of them.”  She didn’t have to explain that she meant Eliza and Alex.  “I just want to thank you.  I came here a lost, broken girl, and you gave me a home.  You gave me Alex.  You have sacrificed so much for me, and I just wish I could do something to pay it all back.  I wish I could save you.”  Her voice broke as her emotions overwhelmed her.

He reached up and wiped the tears from her eyes.  “You’ve already done that, Kara.  You have become a fine young woman, and a symbol of hope for my entire people.  I know that Eliza and Alex are safe with you.  I’m so sorry for what I’ve done with Cadmus, regardless of my good intentions.”  The pulsing was nearly constant now, and Kara knew they probably had less than a minute left.  “I just want to know that you’re happy, Kara.”

She smiled brightly.  “I am, Jeremiah.  I really am.  I never could have imagined the family that I have now, but it is wonderful.  They are wonderful.  I just wish you could’ve been a part of it.”

“Me too, kiddo.  Me too.”  A single tear escaped, tracing a path down his rugged face.  “I love you, Kara Zor-El Danvers.  I am proud that I was able to call you my daughter.”

Kara broke down, wrapping him up tightly, ready for the end.  “I love you too, Jeremiah.  Thank you for everything.”  She held him tight for a few more seconds, and then it happened.  The explosion was sudden and severe, and it plunged Kara into darkness.  

~~~~

The first thing Sam noticed as she approached the Cadmus base was the helicopter fleeing the scene.  The second thing she noticed was the DEO agents flooding out of the building and into their parked vehicles.  She decided she should check out the helicopter, just in case it was Lillian trying to escape again.  And that was how she happened to be flying directly over the building just as the explosion erupted beneath her.

The shockwave threw her, but she caught herself before she hit the ground or any nearby building.  Only one thought occupied her mind.  **_Kara!_**   She threw herself into the flames without thinking.  The heat was powerful and the smoke was overpowering, but it wasn’t nearly enough to hamper Power Girl, much less prevent her from finding her girlfriend.  She still had a vague sense of where the hangar had been before the explosion, and that’s where she went first.  She immediately found the source of the blast, which made her feel a little sick.  Amidst the raging fire, there was a clear crater where the blast had started, and she could make out still-flaming bits of flesh and bone along with twisted scraps of broken and melted metal.  She hoped that hadn’t been someone she knew.

Sam found Kara on the other side of what may have formerly been a wall.  The force of the explosion had knocked her out.  Her suit was charred nearly black, and bits of it were torn and tattered.  Sam had her out of the flames and into the cool night air in a heartbeat, and immediately tore off for the DEO at full speed.  Kara probably wasn’t in any danger, but Sam wanted her under the sun lamps as soon as possible, just to be sure.  She was back to the DEO before any of the strike team, and she had Kara changed into a DEO issue tank top and shorts and under the yellow sun lamps before anyone could even register her presence. 

Then she found Lena, who jumped a little when Power Girl just appeared from nowhere.  “She’s under the sun lamps.  Looks like she was in the epicenter of a huge explosion at the base, but I didn’t register any kryptonite there.  She should be fine, and awake, in less than an hour I would guess.”  She hugged Lena briefly, struggling between her emotions still running on high and the logical part of her brain screaming at her to maintain her cover.  “I don’t know about Lillian yet, but I’m going to head back and check if anyone else needs rescuing.  Go to Kara, and I’ll meet you soon, okay?”

Lena nodded and smiled softly at her.  Her gorgeous green eyes shimmered with joy and appreciation.  “Be careful S—Power Girl.”  They both giggled slightly at her slip up.  Sam nodded firmly, then took off.  She was back at the Cadmus site in only a couple of minutes and immediately set about putting out the fire.  It was under control before the fire department arrived, and that gave her time to fly around and check for anyone who remained injured or trapped.  She guessed that there had been some warning of the explosion, because there weren’t any injured survivors.  She couldn’t confirm that the charred remains left on site were all dead before the explosion, but there were no signs of anyone who was hurt trying to escape. 

Sam hoped by the time she got back to the DEO, Kara would be awake, or that Alex and J’onn would have arrived.  She found herself desperately curious about what happened.  When she arrived, she found that a dark curtain had been drawn around the inside of the glass walls of the medical room where Kara’s yellow sun bed was located.  Her heart briefly fell out of her chest, before she told herself that it was impossible for anything to have happened to Kara.  Then she stepped into the room, closing the curtain behind her.

Kara was still asleep, but Lena and Alex were on the floor, with Alex sobbing uncontrollably in Lena’s arms.  In a heartbeat, Sam had her cowl and wig off and was down on the floor with them.  “Alex!  What happened?”

Alex couldn’t get control of herself enough to answer, so while Sam rubbed her back, Lena explained.  “The explosion … was Jeremiah.  My mother turned him into a cyborg, like Henshaw, but she included a self-destruct program.  She used it to escape.”  Sam’s heart fell.  She understood the wave of nausea she felt at the sight of what she now knew were Jeremiah Danvers’ remains.  Some part of her had known, she guessed.  And that must have been Lillian on the helicopter.  _Fuck.  If only I had gotten there a few minutes faster._ Images and sensations of kissing Lena flashed through her brain.  _Goddammit.  We shouldn’t have let ourselves get carried away.  This is my fault.  It’s always my fault._

She startled out of her spiral of self-doubt when Lena put a hand on hers.  “Sam, this isn’t your fault.  You got back as quickly as you could.  This is on Lillian, not you.  Please don’t do this to yourself.”  Lena always could see the core of things so clearly, when she wasn’t hampered by her own insecurities.  Sam nodded before squeezing Lena’s hand affectionately.  “Kara let Lillian go in exchange for the time to evacuate the DEO agents.  Alex had time to say goodbye, and Kara stayed with Jeremiah until the end.”  Alex sobbed even louder, and her body shook with the force of the emotional torment she was feeling.

“Is—”

“Yeah, Maggie’s on her way.”  If not for the somber occasion, Sam would have been overjoyed at the speed with which she and Lena had synced up again.  For now, they would have to use that to their advantage as they cared for the Danvers girls together.  Whatever was going on between them could wait.  Sam moved in closer to wrap Alex up in a warm hug.

“Alex, I’m so so sorry.”  Alex seemed to settle a little, nestled between Sam and Lena.  Then they were joined by a fourth warm presence.  Kara had woken at some point during the conversation and joined the group comfort session.  Alex and Kara quickly found each other, and Lena and Sam gave them a little space, poised to offer comfort and support where needed.

Time sort of lost all meaning for a while.  It was just Lena and Sam and the Danvers—and eventually Maggie too—alone with their grief.  For a long while, no one spoke.  Alex and Kara just held each other, crying and living in their emotions.  At some point, Sam, Lena, and Maggie surrounded them, protecting them with the warmth of their love.  But eventually, Kara and Alex were all cried out.

They were all still sitting on the floor, except for Lena.  Alex and Maggie were cuddled against each other, backs to Kara’s bed.  Lena was sitting in the room’s chair, with Kara and Sam each leaning against one of her legs.  There was some small talk, some reminiscing, but before long, they all needed to crash.  Kara had been up since the previous day, and Sam had been up for nearly as long, and the emotions of the day weighed heavily on all of them.

Maggie took Alex home, and Sam insisted Kara and Lena both come stay the night with her.  Kara seemed pleasantly surprised that Sam and Lena were getting along again, but she was too exhausted and distraught to question it beyond that.  Sam was grateful.  She wanted for both she and Lena to be able to be there for Kara, but she didn’t want to make this about her and Lena.  Kara took Lena in her arms, and the three of them flew straight to Sam’s place.

Ruby was already in bed, thankfully.  Sam wasn’t afraid of trying to explain the situation to her, but things had been pretty traumatic lately, and Sam wasn’t looking to burden Ruby with any more just yet.  They all changed into PJs—Kara kept plenty at Sam’s place at this point, and Lena borrowed some of hers—then settled into bed.  Kara nestled in comfortably between Lena and Sam and almost immediately fell asleep.

Neither Sam nor Lena were quite ready to sleep, apparently.  They each cuddled close to Kara, and as a result, there were glancing touches between them.  They got comfortable with each of them resting a leg on top of Kara’s, so that their toes could intermingle in a delightfully ticklish way.  Sam felt a little bad at the almost teenage-like glee she felt at the casual contact with Lena, but she wasn’t about to deny how she felt.  Sam’s eyes would rest on Kara’s troubled face, then drift up to catch Lena’s gaze, only to find Lena doing the same.

Sam stifled a giggle.  Lena whispered, “How are we going to tell her?” 

“Lee, I have no idea, but now isn’t the time.  This is a lot to process, and Kara has enough on her plate right now.”  She rubbed her big toe against the top of Lena’s foot.  “ ** _This_** is a completely surprise to me, and it’s fucking amazing, but there’s no rush.  And there’s still a lot for you and me to process.  You were kind of a huge dick to me.”  Lena’s face fell a little, but she knew Sam well enough to know when she said something in good humour. 

“I’m going to make that up to you, Sam.  I promise.  I am so so sorry.”  Lena’s finger hooked around Sam’s. 

“I know you will.  I’m just saying, there’s no rush.  And Kara comes first.”

“On that, we agree.  And I have an idea already—Maggie and I were texting about it.  How do you feeling about Ruby meeting Eliza?”  Sam grinned wildly, picking up immediately on what Lena was suggesting.

“I think they’d hit it off pretty quickly, don’t you?”  Sam raised an eyebrow playfully.

“I do, indeed, Samantha.  And I think it’s about time you experienced Midvale for yourself.  But we’ll talk about it in the morning.  You are nearly as exhausted as our girl.  Get some sleep, love.”  Sam smiled softly, stifling a yawn.  Then she blew Lena a kiss before snuggling into Kara’s body and immediately passing out.


	38. A Midvale Memorial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Danvers women mourn Jeremiah, each in their own way.

** Chapter 38 **

The trip hadn’t taken very long to set up, not with Lena planning it and arranging everything.  The five of them had arranged for some time off—plus a couple days off school for Ruby—and just like that, they were off to Midvale.  For the second time in a year, which was a record for Kara and Alex.  Only this time, four had become six. 

Kara had handled breaking the news to Eliza and coordinating with her.  Alex couldn’t handle that burden yet.  She was barely holding herself together, and only then with the love and support of Maggie, Kara, and to a lesser extent, Sam and Lena.  Rather than call, Kara flew out to Midvale herself to break the news, the morning after everything had gone down.  Unburdened by a plane, luggage, or a human passenger, it barely took Kara two hours to fly across the country.  Fortunately, Eliza had been home, and the two had shared a quiet lunch together. 

Eliza’s reaction was stoic, as Kara had expected.  She couldn’t pretend to know about the long history of love and trust between her adoptive parents, but she knew that in the nearly fifteen years since Jeremiah was taken by Cadmus, Eliza had taken her time accepting, mourning, and moving past his death.  Even when he returned last year, Eliza had kept him at a distance, just a bit—he wasn’t her Jeremiah anymore, and she felt closer to his memory than she did to his person at that point.  After confirming that Eliza was going to be okay, and planning out the family trip to Midvale, Kara had come back to National City.

Only a couple of days had passed, and here she was again.  As they all began getting out of the car Lena had rented, Kara’s eyes stayed firmly fixed on Alex.  Eliza was waiting for them in the driveway as they pulled up, and Maggie had barely put the SUV into park before Alex was out of the vehicle. 

Her casual attire-sunglasses, a denim button-up, black jeans—hid a broken person underneath, in desperate need of healing.  Alex’s wayfarer sunglasses hid the redness of her eyes, the bags under them.  She carried herself stiffly, as if her body had forgotten how to walk normally.  Then she folded into Eliza’s waiting arms, and immediately relaxed.  Kara smiled softly.  Coming home was exactly what Alex needed.

She got out of the car and helped Sam and Maggie with the bags.  With Ruby along, everything took a bit longer, since Kara and Sam couldn’t noticeably use their powers.  But somehow, that felt right too.  Kara led everyone to where they would be staying.  She and Lena were sharing a room, Alex and Maggie had a room, and Sam and Ruby had a room.  With bags settled, they all met Eliza and Alex back in the dining room, where Eliza had already brought out some hot tea and cucumber water for everyone.

Eliza stood as Kara approached, Sam and Ruby just behind her.  She smiled and said, “Eliza, you’ve met my girlfriend, Sam.”  They hugged briefly, and Eliza’s voice was light and friendly as she welcomed Sam into her home.  “And this—” Kara’s hand on Ruby’s shoulder gently encouraged her forward, “—is her daughter, Ruby.  Ruby, this is Eliza Danvers.” 

Ruby extended her hand nervously, not feeling comfortable enough to go for a hug right away.  Sam and Kara had talked to her about what was going on, but this was the first time Ruby had ever been around anyone grieving the loss of a loved one.  She was understandably tentative.  Fortunately, this sort of thing was exactly Eliza’s forte.

She took Ruby’s hand warmly.  “So very nice to meet you, Ruby.  I’ve heard so many things about you, I feel as though I already know you a bit.  Welcome to Midvale.”

Ruby smiled shyly, responding softly, “It’s nice to meet you too, Eliza.  I’m really sorry for your loss.”  Her smile gave way to a slight frown, along with a look of genuine sadness.  “I didn’t know Jeremiah, but Kara told me he was a good man, and a hero.”

Eliza smiled sadly.  “He was, in his way.  I’m sorry you never got to meet him, but I’m excited to get to know you.”  During the introductions, Lena and Maggie had settled in on either side of Alex, Maggie wrapping her arm around her girlfriend.  The rest of them took seats around the table, and Eliza cheerfully served them all.  Ruby had never had tea before, and she was very curious about it.  Kara and Sam shared a look of utter adoration at how Eliza and Ruby hit it off immediately.

In that moment, Kara had an epiphany.  Eliza was so wonderful about taking in strays and making them feel at home.  Kara had been the first, and since their little family in National City had been growing, Eliza had been just as warm and kind in her welcoming of Maggie, then Lena, and now Sam and Ruby.  But … Eliza wasn’t just Eliza.  She was a woman who had shared and built a life together with a man who was now gone.  Kara’s final words to Jeremiah sprung to mind—you gave me a home—and she wondered how much of Eliza’s welcoming nature was innate and how much was learned from her life partner. 

Kara realized she had never really appreciated the sort of team he and Eliza were.  She had barely been around for a year when he was taken away to go work for the DEO, and her history with Eliza was so much more about her as an individual than her partnership with Jeremiah.  But in those early days, they really had been such an incredible team.

Back then, they had worked so effortlessly in tandem, and Kara had been too broken to really understand or appreciate it.  But as she thought about those early days, she saw it.  Jeremiah mentoring her, and Eliza comforting her.  Constant lessons in culture and behaviour.  Patient work on wrangling and understanding Kara’s powers.  The many looks the two of them had shared.  The ways in which they so effortlessly worked as a unit in all the small everyday things that really made this place feel like a home.  It was only now, being back in this house but now with her own partners—her own **_team_** —that she began to realize and truly appreciate the example set by the Danvers’ marriage, even if Kara had only been around it briefly.

Speaking of her team, Kara turned her gaze from Eliza and Ruby to glance at both Lena and Sam, only to catch them smiling at each other.  Kara bit her lip, chewing on it slightly as she pondered this new curiosity.  Then, almost simultaneously, Lena and Sam both looked away from each other and at Kara, and she smiled brightly at them both, only the slight tilt of her head and a raised eyebrow giving away the curiosity with which she was watching them both.  She was fully aware of the monumental shift in their dynamic after they saved Lena from Cadmus, but there hadn’t been time yet to really discuss it.  So far, all they had told her was that they had finally opened up about what was going on between them and that they had buried the hatchet.  They had realized how stupid they—or more specifically Lena, as they both jokingly pointed out—had been. 

But there was more to it than that, and it was very obvious, at least to Kara.  Her girlfriends didn’t deny it either, but they had all three agreed that it wasn’t immediately important.  There would be time for them to all talk about their feelings later.  Kara was dealing with her own complicated feelings for Jeremiah, and all of them wanted to be here for Alex in whatever she needed.

They were having the memorial for Jeremiah that evening, around sunset.  Without a body or ashes, the Danvers had all agreed it that they would each write out a letter to Jeremiah, full of memories and things left unsaid and whatever loving goodbye they wanted to give him.  These letters, once read at the service, would be burned, realizing their sentiments out into the universe in at least some form of finality.

Kara led the way for their short processional.  Alex was already crying again, and Kara and Eliza held her firmly from both sides, giving her the strength to keep moving forward.  The rest of their found family followed in wake as they walked around the block and off the path towards the raised cliff that oversaw the nearby beach.  Kara had already set up the small bonfire that would light their ceremony.  The three Danvers came to a stop maybe a foot in front of the bonfire, facing out towards the ocean.  The sun had just begun to set, lighting the evening skies with such incredible pinks and purples among the usual oranges and blues.  Kara held Alex while Eliza moved forward to light the fire, and the rest of the group settled into a shallow semicircle behind them. 

Once the fire was going strong (Sam helped a little, moving fast enough that only Kara would notice her quick use of heat vision), Eliza stood to the left of the flames and faced the gathered crowd as she pulled out the envelope holding her final letter to her husband.  Her voice was thin and wavered at times but was strong throughout.

“Jeremiah.  It feels strange to find myself having to let go of you again, but here we are.  When I lost you the first time, it was as if my soul had been torn to shreds.  I lost pieces of myself that I was never able to get back.  But over time, I was able to sew myself back together.  You died protecting our girls, and I did my best to live up to that sacrifice.  I raised them and protected them and supported them, and I knew you would be so very proud of them.”

She smiled widely at Kara and Alex.  “Then you came back to us, a decade later.  I’m so sorry that I failed you in that moment.  There was a version of my Jeremiah in there, but you were like a stranger to me.  And so I missed all the obvious signs.  I didn’t protect our girls in that moment.  And maybe if I had, we could have gotten you back.”

Eliza’s voice broke, and the tears began to flow.  Kara could feel Alex trembling beside her.  That’s all Alex had wanted, to get Jeremiah back.  And they had failed.  They had **_all_** failed.  But that included Jeremiah.  This wasn’t Eliza’s fault.  Fortunately, she seemed to know that.

“I couldn’t save you.  I can’t imagine what you went through in all that time—what you had to endure and how it changed you.  But I believe that you never stopped trying to protect Kara and Alex, even if you lost sight of why they needed protection.  What kind of world we always wanted for them.  So I choose to remember you as my Jeremiah.  Whoever you became, I didn’t know that man, and I am sorry, but I cannot mourn that man.  Today, I say goodbye instead to you, my darling husband.”

“You were my dearest friend.  You were there as I grew from a shy girl with her head in the clouds to an accomplished scientist and mother.  You were my boldness, unlocking my passion and bringing me out of my shell.”  She giggled, and Kara could almost see her as a young woman in her 20s, still finding herself.  “I can still remember the ambitious, too brash by far jerk you were when I first met you.  And the kind, gentle protector you grew up to be.”

She glanced at Alex.  “I see so much of you in our dear Alex.  Your endless well of strength.  Your loyalty and stubbornness.  But most of all your protectiveness.  You died protecting her, but I worry that she might’ve died trying to save you.  So alike.”  Her gaze shifted to Kara.  “And yet, our adopted little girl took after you as well.  Even though she only knew you for a year.  It’s remarkable really.  But I see in Kara your earnestness, your kindness.  You mentored her through all her loss and pain, and I am so proud to see that same spirit in her as she does the same for countless others.”

“Today I say goodbye to you, my love.  But you live on, in a way, through our daughters.  Through the countless accomplishments you made in your field.  Through the many ways in which you shaped me as we grew together over the years.  You live on in all of us.”  She turned away from them, facing the crashing waves and the brilliant sunset as she folded the letter and placed it back in its envelope.

“I love you, Jeremiah Danvers.  You were my beating heart, my bold protector, my trusted partner.  I hope you have found peace.”  She dropped the envelope into the fire without turning her gaze from the horizon, and the crisp paper quickly went up in smoke.  Then she released a heavy breath, wiped the tears from her eyes, and turned to walk back to her girls.  The three of them hugged, tightly, and then it was Kara’s turn.

She stepped forward, pulling her own letter from its envelope as she took her place beside the fire, right where Eliza had stood.  She caught the eyes of Lena and Sam, standing side-by-side, and felt their love flow through her, giving her strength.  Kara was nervous.  She had said her goodbye to Jeremiah already, and for her, this was more about processing the complicated grief she felt for the man.  She was worried that her words might hurt Alex further, but she needed to tell her truth.

“Jeremiah.  You gave me a home when mine was destroyed.  You and Eliza.  But … that isn’t the only you that I knew.  I can’t pretend that the last fifteen years didn’t happen.  That my memory of you is only that of the kind man who taught me how to overcome my loss, how to fit in here.  You are also the man who betrayed Alex.  Betrayed me.  You worked for an evil woman, for an evil cause, and I cannot say goodbye to you without addressing that.”

She caught Sam and Lena’s eyes again, avoiding Alex’s.  Lena’s eyes were wide with surprise, but supportive.  Sam gave her the slightest nod of encouragement.  They were both here with her in this moment.

“We could have worked together, when we first got you back.  You could have stayed with us.  We could have figured it out.  But you decided instead to lie.  To put Alex and Eliza through more heartache and continue to work for an organization that stands against everything you always taught us was right.  Someday, I hope I’ll be able to forgive you for that, but I’m not there yet.”

Kara finally looked at Alex, who was sobbing in Eliza’s arms.  Eliza gave her a sorrowful but understanding look, but Alex’s face was pure anguish.  “I’m sorry, Alex.  I know this is hard to hear right now, but it would dishonour Jeremiah to ignore the last fifteen years of his life.”  She turned her attention back to the letter.  “I have to believe that some part of you knew better.  I know your intentions remained pure to the end.  Maybe you hoped to bring Cadmus down from inside, or at least to soften their impact.  Maybe you really did believe it was the only way you could protect Alex and me from them.  At this point, your reasons no longer matter.  You chose your path, and because of that choice, we lost you forever.”

Her voice broke as the emotions became too much.  Tears began to dot her letter to Jeremiah, which she handwrote in Kryptonese.  “But we still love you.  I am who I am because of the kindness you showed me.  The lessons you taught me.  My only wish is that you had remembered those lessons yourself.  You were a good man, once.  You raised my absolute favourite person in the whole world.  Eliza was right—Alex will carry on all the best parts of you.  She is a remarkable person, and she learned that, in part, from you, Jeremiah.  So, thank you for that.”

She folded the letter up, turning away from her family.  She could get through the last paragraph without reading it.  “We met at a formative point in my life, and I will carry you with me forever, Jeremiah Danvers.  Because of you, I was able to turn my trauma into strength.  I was able to find a new life for myself when mine was taken from me.  I will always love you for that.” 

Kara tossed the letter into the fire.  Still facing the ocean, she recited the prayer in whispered Kryptonian that she was sure only Sam could hear.  “ ** _You have been the sun of our lives.  Our prayers will be the sun that lights your way on your journey home.  We will remember you in every dawn and await the night we join you in the sky.  Rao's will be done_**.” Her eyes traced the smoke from the burning letter as it curled upward.  She imagined that Jeremiah’s soul went with it, to find Rao—whatever that truly meant.

Alex pulled away from Eliza to meet Kara, wrapping her in a surprising hug.  “Thank you,” she whispered, crying into Kara’s hair as she held her tight.  “You told it true.  He would be so proud of you.”  Kara pulled back, holding Alex’s face in her hands and pressing a wet kiss to her forehead.

            “I’m still sorry.”  Alex pressed her forehead to Kara’s, then let go of her, taking her spot by the fire.  Her finger traced along the lip of the envelope in her hand, then she stood up straight, as if having made a decision, and tossed the letter into the flames unopened.  She turned 90 degrees, her eyes fixed firmly on the fire. 

“I …  I’m sorry.  To all of you.  I …  Dad’s death broke me.”  She breathed deeply, exhaling slowly.  “I couldn’t read that.”  She looked up at the swiftly darkening sky.  “ ** _You_** wouldn’t have wanted my scattered ramblings anyway.  Instead, I’ll speak from the heart.”

Alex turned to face them.  Her face was still wet with tears, her eyes red, but she was in control of herself again.  She was Alex again.  “My father was a complicated man.  He never really did anything halfway.  Mom and Kara are right, at least a little.  I’m just like him in that, at least when I get emotional.  Maybe that’s why I’ve fought so hard the past few years on learning to control my emotions.”  Maggie chuckled, and Alex shot her a look. 

“After Dad left, and especially after we thought he was dead, I lost myself to my emotions.  Kara talks about being lost, and in those years, I learned a little about being lost myself.  And once I found new purpose with the DEO, I gained some perspective on my emotions.  I didn’t really connect all that with my feelings towards Dad until J’onn told me the true story about his death.  My father worked for the DEO, too—walked the same halls as me, received the same training, probably even worked with some of the same agents.  But the DEO he worked for was very different than the one I am so proud to be a part of.”

Alex looked right at Kara, and she nodded at her sister, urging her on.  “That DEO was little better than Cadmus, and Dad worked with them to try and protect us.  He died the first time because he realized that he couldn’t be a part of what that organization was trying to accomplish.  I guess it makes sense that his true death would mirror that first one.”  Her voice broke again.

“D-Dad never quite learned that lesson I guess.  About when emotions can help you, and when they can cripple you.  When to fight for those you love, and when—” she broke off, sobs overtaking her.  Kara and Eliza rushed to her side, each of them taking a hand.  She took a few deep breaths, collecting herself.  “When to fight for those you love, and when to accept their help.  That was the mistake that killed my father.  He thought he had to go it alone.  He bore it all because he hoped that we wouldn’t have to.  But here we are, bearing it anyway.”

Alex caught Kara’s eyes.  “Stronger together.  That’s a lesson you taught me, Kara.  It’s one that I wish Dad had been around to learn.”  She released Kara and Eliza’s hands, nodding for them to return to where they were standing.  “It’s okay, Mom.  I’m okay.”  Eliza squeezed her hand, then followed Kara away from the fire.

“The night he died … I felt like I failed him.  I couldn’t save him.  And that’s true.  I couldn’t.  But it wasn’t just Cadmus he needed saving from.  Ultimately, I couldn’t save Dad from himself.  From his need to protect his family above all else.  I think, ultimately, that was the last lesson he taught me.  That none of us can do it alone.  That protecting your loved ones means trusting them every bit as much as it does shielding them from danger.” 

Alex turned towards the cliff, walking forward a few steps.  “Thank you for that, Dad.  I hate that this lesson cost you your life.  I hate that you won’t be around for all the firsts we have left in our lives.  For all the big moments to come.  I love you, Dad.  And I will carry on your mission.  I will protect this family.  Just not the way you did.  We are all stronger together.  I wish you could’ve seen that.  I wish …”  She exhaled loudly.  “I wish I could’ve saved you, Dad.”

She turned and walked back, whispering “goodbye” softly enough that Kara wasn’t sure anyone else heard her.  The Danvers women wrapped each other in a tight embrace, and Kara wasn’t sure how long they all stood there, crying and holding each other.

The memorial site was close to the house, so they spent the rest of the evening there.  They enjoyed the warm fire until it finally died out, eating food that Lena and Sam had prepared, reminiscing about Jeremiah and childhood Danvers stories, and in the case of Sam and Ruby and Eliza, getting to know each other better.  Even with all the sadness, and despite the relative newcomers to the family, the night was warm, comfortable, and safe.  Kara wasn’t sure they could’ve prepared a more fitting tribute to Jeremiah.  After all, he had died for his family.


	39. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Lena talk to Kara about their feelings for each other, and Alex and Maggie get engaged.

** Chapter 39 **

Sam was a little blown away by how right Lena had been about this place.  She wondered how her life might’ve been different if her pod had landed in a place like this.  Midvale was idyllic in a way that would normally earn her ire and derision, but she honestly found it refreshing, at least here in Eliza Danvers’ corner of the sleepy coastal town.  It was like the home she had always yearned for, but never really experienced.  It was a sort of embodiment of everything she had ever sought to provide for Ruby, from a certain point of view.

Lena and Sam had let Eliza know that they needed some time to talk about something serious with Kara, and she took Ruby for ice cream.  Sam gathered from the knowing look between Lena and Eliza that this was something of a rite of passage.  Ruby had been hitting it off with Eliza ever since they arrived, so she was completely unopposed to the plan.  And Maggie was **_very_** emphatic that she and Alex had plans of their own down by the beach, so everything was in order.

Kara called out from the kitchen, “Hey secretive girlfriends of mine!  Is this a wine sort of talk or what?”  Sam grinned.  She was like Kara now, her metabolism too powerful for normal alcohol to affect her like it used to, but she still appreciated the taste of a quality chianti.  And she knew for a fact that Lena had brought a couple of bottles specifically for this occasion. 

Lena didn’t bother shouting back from the restroom, explaining in her normal speaking voice that the bottles were still in the trunk of the SUV they had arrived in.  She was fully aware both the other women could hear her without any issue.  Sam had the bottles and was opening them in the kitchen before Kara could finish the cupcake in her hand.  “I got it, babe.”  Sam licked a bit of frosting off Kara’s finger, savouring the taste of her girlfriend as much as the taste of the sugary dessert.  Then she got three glasses out and poured their wine, as Lena came down the stairs.  “There you are.”

“Let’s go out on the balcony patio.  It’s a nice night, and I love the view of the stars out here.”  Kara grabbed her glass and Lena’s, handing it to the brunette as they all walked back up the stairs and then out onto the balcony.  They each took a seat at the round table on the right side of the balcony, the one that came with a detachable umbrella for the summer sun.  This allowed the three of them to all sit equidistant from each other. 

Lena took a sip of the wine, then launched straight into it.  “So, I’ve been a massive bitch the past couple of months.  I already apologized quite a lot to Sam, but before anything else, I want to apologize again to you both.  Individually and as a couple.”  Lena’s eyes grew watery, but she kept herself under control.  “I could explain about how I couldn’t get the image of Sam’s body tossing Kara off a building so casually, beaten and broken, and maybe that was it at first.  But I’m not so sure anymore.  Perhaps some lizard part of my brain was frightened of Sam’s … resemblance with Reign, but I think we can all tell at this point, the core of my difficulty was that I felt threatened.”

She took another sip of her wine, and Sam wanted to reach out and take her hand.  She was mostly healed of her resentment towards Lena, her anger about the cold shoulder she had received.  Lena was genuinely sorrowful and wanted to begin anew, and the gravity between them was too much for Sam to resist.  Not that she wanted to.  Not anymore.  But not yet.

“You are such a beautiful couple.  And instead of appreciating your love for each other, I let myself get threatened by it.  Threatened by Sam’s alien heritage.  Her powers.  I thought … well, I thought that you were a couple of destiny, in a way.  That you are so obviously meant to be that inevitably, I could never fit nearly as well as you fit each other.  I let all of my lurking insecurities get the better of me, and I tried to force the issue by cutting Sam from life.  Not openly, but that’s clearly what I was trying to do.” 

“Lena!  You didn’t, you—”  Lena put a hand on Kara’s, halting her protest.

“It’s okay, Kara.  Please, let me get this out, in full, then we can discuss.”  Those sad green eyes flickered back and forth between Sam and Kara.  “We all knew things would eventually come to a head with the way I was behaving.  Even if we all did our best to ignore it.”  She gave Sam a meaningful look.  “Sam, I said it already, but I am so sorry.  I should have trusted you.  I should have trusted my love for you, all our years together.  I freaked out.  I listened to my own darker voices, and I am so very very sorry.”

Sam took her hand.  “I forgive you, Lena.  I’m glad you came to your senses.  I just wish we hadn’t had to get your mother involved.”  She winced a little, realizing immediately that the joke went too far, at least so soon after Jeremiah’s memorial.  Still … Sam wondered if Lena would have reached her epiphany if not for that traumatic experience. 

Lena turned to Kara.  “Kara, I’m sorry to you too.  I made your life hell.  I put you in an impossible situation, trying to split yourself between two people you love.  I was awful to someone you love, and I’m sure I haven’t been easy to love of late.  I … I’m so angry with myself for putting that strain on our relationship.  On you personally.  I’m sorry I let my fears control me.  I’m sorry I didn’t figure it out sooner.  And I’m sorry that I didn’t talk to you about my feelings.  I’m sorry … for everything, darling.”

Kara was crying again.  Sam and Lena were immediately up and over to Kara, dropping to their knees to wrap her up in hugs.  Sam wondered if she had been waiting for the other shoe to drop.  It had been a few days, and she believed Sam and Lena when they said their differences were behind them.  But it was another thing to hear Lena say it.  To hear the anguish in her voice as she discussed how she had felt and admitted her own guilt in causing emotional harm to those she loved.  Now it was real.

But that also meant they needed to tell Kara about the kiss.  Kara calmed down a bit, and Lena and Sam took their seats again.  “Lena, I’m just glad that you realized what you were doing—and why—before it was too late.  I … yeah, the last couple of months have been really rough, and I wish you had just talked to me.  Especially since we all promised that we would keep the lines of communication open, back when Sam and I started dating.”

“But the point here is that she’s communicating now,” Sam reassured Kara.  “And she’s not going to shut us out **_ever_** again, right Lena?”  Sam hit her with her most withering glare, and Lena actually shrank a little.

“Yes, quite.  I’ve learned my lesson, and …”  Lena paused, clearly giving her next words careful consideration.  “And I hope that when I inevitably fuck up again, because of the years of psychological trauma otherwise known as a Luthor childhood—neither of you will let me get away with it this time.  Remind me of this experience, and this conversation, and don’t get off my ass until I open up about my insecurities.”

“I’m sure Kara would love to … **_stay on your ass_** all you want, Lee,”  Sam quipped slyly.  Kara immediately got flustered, giggling and blushing wildly.  Just as Sam intended.

“I … yes, but … ugh, Saaaaaaaam why do you always do this to me?”  Lena and Sam laughed in unison, and with that, all three of them were so much more relaxed than before.  So, Sam just decided to go for it.

“Well, babe, if you liked that, you’re gonna love what Lena and I have to tell you.”  Kara’s eyes got wide, and Lena eyed Sam nervously.  Sam patted her hand reassuringly, and Kara’s eyes got a little wider.  “Soooo … umm, in the heat of the emotion after I got Lena out of there and she was apologizing and … ah fuck it, I’m just gonna come out and say it, we kissed.”

Sam was unaware that Kara’s eyes were even capable of getting that wide.  Her head shifted rapidly, back and forth between Sam and Lena.  Lena winced a little, waiting for a more obviously positive or negative response.  Finally, Kara sputtered out a response.

“So you—” she pointed at Sam almost comically, “—kissed you—” her finger moved over to Lena, “—and you kissed her back, and …”  Kara’s eyes continued getting even more impossibly wide, and then she bit her lip and took a deep breath.  Her next words were so quiet that Sam worried Lena wouldn’t be able to hear her.  “Umm… and … just uhhh … **_how was it?_** ” 

Lena breathed a sigh of relief, and Sam chuckled.  “Well, Kara dearest, I can only speak for myself, but I thought it was, you know, stupid hot.”  Kara looked like she might fall out of her chair.  “Just like … intensely sexy.”  Kara’s cheeks turned a different shade of red.  “And that’s why Lena cut it off, because it definitely meant something, and neither of us wanted to act on it further until we talked to you about it.”

Kara cleared her throat dramatically, clearly struggling to maintain her composure.  “Okay.  So … you kissed each other?”  Sam and Lena nodded.  “And enjoyed it?”  Sam’s face was slowly breaking into a grin, but she nodded again.  “And now we’re all three of us having a big serious conversation because it means something possibly serious and involves all of us and **_that_** is what is going on right now, yes?”  She glanced at Lena, who was now smiling as openly as Sam was, and they both nodded a third time.  “Okay. … okay okay.  So, yeah.  Ummm…. I’m going to need a minute.  Okay?  Just a minute?  I’ll be right back.”

Kara disappeared, and a bit of doubt crept back into Sam’s gut.  She exchanged a look with Lena.  “Shit, did we screw up somehow?  Where is she going?  What—”  Her questions were interrupted by the sudden reappearance of Kara, followed immediately by a literal cloud of confetti raining down upon them.  Sam couldn’t really see anything, but she could definitely hear Kara’s excited celebrations.

“Yayayayay!  I am so happy for you both!!  My girlfriends like each other!  Or … like kissing each other!  Sorry!  I don’t want to assume anything!  We can figure out what it all means in a minute!  I just!  Ahhhhhh!  I’m so happy for you!” 

As the confetti settled around them, Lena’s smile was beautiful to behold.  “Christ, Kara.  Be more adorable.  I dare you.  Were you … have you been carrying confetti with you everywhere just in case Sam and I decided we wanted to start making out on a whim?” 

Kara froze, then laughed happily before pushing Lena’s seat back far enough away from the table so that she could sit lightly in Lena’s lap.  “No, silly!  I really didn’t imagine you two still had those sorts of feelings for each other.  I just made the confetti just now, that’s why I needed a minute.”  Sam’s face hurt from smiling already.  Kara was so adorable---she didn’t know why she had been worried about this conversation in the least.  Her body filled with warmth at the sweet picture in front of her. 

As a couple, Kara and Lena were all perfectly complementary contrasts.  The thin pale pink and black stripes of Kara’s sweater contrasted nicely with the deep plum of Lena’s.  Half up, wavy golden locks shining beside the flowing dark curtain of Lena’s straight raven hair.  (Sam loved the rare occasions when Lena wore it down.)  Kara’s smile was all rosy cheeks and soft pink lips whereas Lena’s was full and dark, sultry even in moments of joy.  But the look of sheer adoration, true love, that flowed between green and blue eyes—that was universal.  If Sam had to guess, she would assume she had a similar look on her own face.

Kara looked up at Sam suddenly.  “So, what’s next then?  Are you two dating?  When should we tell people?  How … ummm, wow I can’t think of a good way of phrasing this, but like … how involved do you two want me to be?”  Sam snickered, mind immediately going to a delightfully sexual place.

“We can discuss—” Sam raised an eyebrow, then winked at Lena, “ ** _logistics_** later.”  Kara immediately blushed, and Lena looked like she was already getting some of the same ideas that were swirling in the back of Sam’s mind.  “For now … I think Lena and I will need a little time to figure out this new aspect of our relationship.  And to heal from the last couple of months.  I’d be surprised if things end up being all that much different, in the long run.  But once Lena and I figure out what we’re doing, then we can talk about … how **_exactly_** we want to—how did you phrase it?— ** _fit_** you in?”  Sam heard her voice lower of its own accord, filling with a husky desire and playfulness.

Kara sputtered again.  “Uhhh… uh hahaha umm.  Okay?  Sounds good?”  Lena giggled, pulling Kara’s hair away from her neck enough to plant a series of soft kisses there.  Sam could see her face relax, as her eyes closed and she gave into the feel of Lena’s lips on her neck, but then Kara’s eyes snapped open again.  She floated easily off of Lena’s lap, landing lightly as she reached and pulled Lena to her feet.  Then Kara was in Lena’s seat, grinning like a jackal, and Lena was confidently strutting towards Sam, after the gentlest shove by Kara.

Lena raised an eyebrow, trying to fight the smile that insisted on breaking across her face so that she could keep a sort of sultry look there.  The result was terrifyingly adorable.  “Is there room for two in this seat?”  Sam pursed her lips, also fighting a grin.  Her only response was to pat her thighs lightly, and Lena slipped down onto them, sliding an arm around Sam as Sam slid one around her back to support her weight.  _Fuck, she smells so good._  

Meanwhile, Kara couldn’t have possibly looked more pleased with the outcome of this conversation.  If Sam didn’t know any better, she would’ve felt almost like a piece of meat at the way Kara was gazing … **_appreciatively_** at the two of them.  Lena asked, “You’re really completely okay with this, aren’t you?”

Kara shot Lena a look like she was completely insane for even asking.  “ ** _Of course_** , I am!  This is a dream come true.  And it’ll probably make things that much easier, at least eventually!”  Kara looked down for a moment, pensively.  Her voice softened just the tiniest bit.  “But really, I just want you both to be happy, and this is the happiest I’ve seen either of you since Reign happened.”

Sam startled slightly.  Kara was absolutely right, but the idea of it caught her off guard.  She hadn’t quite realized all the weight she had been carrying the last couple of months, even with all the joy that Kara and Ruby brought to her life.  The guilt and shame of what Reign had done with her body, compounded by the loss of Lena’s steadying presence in her life, had been a lot for Sam to process.  She was still processing it, she supposed.

But Lena’s weight in her lap felt real.  Reliable.  There was a lot to work out, but she felt genuinely hopeful that they would figure it out.  **_Together._**  

Lena caught her gaze, and the gravity sprung to life again between them.  Some part of the back of her brain felt a little self-conscious still, kissing Lena in front of Kara.  But she couldn’t have stopped herself from leaning in if she tried.  Her biggest concern was that she didn’t want anything to feel performative.  Whatever was going on between Lena and herself wasn’t something for Kara’s consumption, anymore than Kara and Sam’s affection had been for Lena’s.  But … this wasn’t that.  This was something **_more_**.

As Lena’s tongue slipped tentatively against her lip, seeking entry, it just felt right.  Good.  Sam smiled into it as she opened her mouth just a little wider, allowing Lena’s tongue in and moving her own to meet it.  It felt sweet and sincere, and with her heightened senses it was like she could feel Kara’s sheer joy right alongside the warmth of her desire for Lena in the moment.  Kara’s interest was appreciative and supportive—not leering.  Pure compersion. 

Sam pulled out of the kiss still smiling, but Lena was struck wordless.  Kara giggled, and Sam joked, “Well, I guess that settles that.”  She kissed Lena’s cheek, and in a moment of contentment, turned her attention briefly towards the pleasant sound of the waves crashing softly against the beach nearby.  It was a complete accident that she heard what she heard, but it also kinda felt like fate, all things considered.  She smiled her biggest smile of the night and caught Kara’s eye.  Nodding towards the beach, she could pinpoint the exact moment when Kara turned her superhearing on and figured out what they were witnessing.

“AHHHHHH ** _oh my Rao, yesssssss._** ”

~~~~

Lena felt as if her heart had grown three sizes.  Not only had Kara and Sam forgiven her for her absolutely shitty behaviour—or at least, they were in the process of forgiving her—but Kara had been so enthusiastic about the potential … **_whatever_** … that was brewing between her and Sam.  Her emotions bubbled up and threatened to overwhelm her, and on a whim, she reached her hand up and brushed Kara’s hair aside, exposing her neck.  Lena smiled as she felt herself press warm kisses to Kara’s neck, tracing a line up towards her ear.

She felt Kara shudder then relax into it, but then she tensed again and pulled away.  Suddenly Lena found herself on her feet, and Kara was nudging her towards Sam, who was just sitting there, coyly enjoying the proceedings.  Lena felt her heart pounding nervously in her chest, and she hated that both of them could hear it so easily.  _Fucking superhearing_.  Still … she was Lena fucking Luthor, and she wasn’t going to let her nerves get to her.

Lena took a breath and held herself with her sexiest poise.  Then she strutted straight over to Sam and asked if there was room for two in her seat.  She was happy to see that Sam was struggling just as much as she was to keep a goofy ass grin off her face.  She was doing her best to play cool and sexy, but she was just so excited by how well everything was going. 

Planting herself down onto Sam’s lap, she smiled.  Her nerves were gone, and maybe now the three of them could just hang out and enjoy a night of wine and flirting and … whatever else that might lead to.  Then her eyes met Sam’s, and all rational thought went out the window.  Her lips were on Sam’s in a heartbeat.   She hadn’t leaned in for the kiss consciously, and she almost got nervous again until Sam’s lips opened to her tongue.  After that, there was nothing going on in her mind but pure passion and desire.  It was just like the night Sam rescued her from Cadmus—her body practically screamed for Sam. 

When Sam pulled away and smiled at her, her body felt the loss.  It was as if the world around her had faded away and then come rushing back into focus.  Lena felt her eyes grow wide as she realized that she had just so thoroughly lost herself to the kiss.  And Kara was just sitting there grinning at them.  Lena felt so unusually out of control of her emotions right then.  But it was okay, because she was with Kara and Sam.  The two women she absolutely trusted with her life.  And with her emotions.  Which for Lena was actually the more difficult thing.

Sam was acting odd, though.  Her eyes focused off in the distance—if Lena had to guess, towards the beach.  Lena watched as Sam’s already brilliant smile brightened even further, and she wondered what those overpowered ears were hearing right at that moment.  Sam turned her smile towards Kara and nodded towards the beach, and suddenly Kara was captivated too.  Kara squealed, then shouted in what could only be described as pure delight.  Lena felt a slight pang of jealousy but squashed it.  No … she couldn’t share in their immediate, superpowered experience, but they would share soon enough.  _They want me.  They value me.  That’s what matters._

Lena was so distracted with her internal struggle that she hadn’t noticed Sam turning back towards her.  But her whispered voice was in Lena’s ear, and instantly her insecurities faded into the background.  “Okay, so guess what is going on right fucking now?”  Her words tickled Lena’s ear in the best way, and Sam very intentionally stroked a finger along Lena’s side seductively.  “So … Alex and Maggie are down by the beach, and apparently—” Kara was watching them now, smiling softly at the casual intimacy, “—yup, Maggie and Ale are engaged now.” 

Lena’s face broke into a smile again, and she turned and kissed Sam.  As she pulled away, Kara was right there with them, and all three of them were exchanging excited kisses.  As they all calmed down a little and pulled out of the kissing, Lena laughed.  Kara and Sam looked at her expectantly.

“So, I have a secret to share.  I’ve known about this for a while now.  I took Maggie ring shopping.”  Lena shrugged shyly, playing innocent.  “She’s had the ring for a couple of weeks now, and I mean, I didn’t know she’d pull out the plan here in Midvale, but also … you know how Maggs can be.  She may have just said fuck it and planned an impromptu beach proposal earlier today.  She’s fiery like that.”

Sam just grinned at her, but Kara reacted exactly the way she predicted she would.  “Leeeeeeeenaaaaaaaaa, how could you keep this from me?  Alex is my sister.  My sestra!” Lena grinned at the reference, since _Orphan Black_ was the most recent show they had binged together.  “And we live together!  How did you keep this a secret??”

Lena kept her arms wrapped around Sam for support, but her attention was fully on Kara as she leveled her absolute best smirk at the blonde.  “Well, I **_am_** a Luthor.  I haven’t exactly forgotten how to keep a secret, darling.”  She shrugged dramatically, to show that keeping such a monumentally wonderful secret was nothing to her, and Sam burst out laughing as Kara pouted.  Lena leaned into her best friend’s body as the laughter worked its way through her system, enjoying the feel of being in her arms.

“Darlings?”  Lena had to admit to herself that she rather liked calling them that, in the plural.  “Let’s put something together for when they get home.  Sam, check in with Eliza and Ruby, see how far off they are.  Kara, do your Supergirl thing and put together some decorations and maybe some light desserts?  Samantha can help you when she’s off the phone.”

Kara nodded enthusiastically.  “So, what will you be doing, creampuff?”

“I will be dutifully admiring you and Sam at work, in the most heroic lesbian fashion, of course.” Inside, Lena felt like she was practically squealing in delight at her joke, but on the outside she kept herself at her full levels of sexy, unbothered calm.  She raised an eyebrow to sell it, as if to say ‘of course I intend to laze about and simply enjoy the pleasure of watching you two gorgeous women getting shit done.’

Sam rolled her eyes and kissed Lena lightly on the lips.  “You’re lucky you’re cute, Lee.”  Then she pulled out her phone to call Ruby.

Kara mimicked Sam, kissing her lightly and adding, “Ditto,” before literally sweeping Lena off her feet.  In a blink, she was deposited at the kitchen table, before Kara turned into a party-making blur.  It was right as a second blur joined Kara that Lena realized they would need a cover story.  Ruby didn’t know about anyone’s secret identities after all, so they would need an alternative explanation for how they knew about the engagement and were able to prepare a small celebratory party in no time at all. 

“Lovely beautiful superfast ladies of mine, please stop for a second and listen.”  They did so, appearing in front of her with adorably expectant looks on their faces.  “Ruby and Eliza are on their—” she heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway, “—fuck, they are here. So. Quickly.  I already knew about the engagement, and we stayed behind to put together this little celebration, not to have some big serious conversation about my lips on Sam’s lips or anything of that sort—because neither of you has super powers at all, you catch my drift?”

That is when Lena noticed the decorations, which were a literal rainbow of colour, though blue and purple were the primary colours.  Someone had disappeared to find (or purchase) a large ‘Congratulations’ banner, and several bottles of champagne were on ice, with flutes lined up on the counter.  There were balloons and streamers and almost certainly more confetti somewhere.  Everything was perfect.

The bright smile across Eliza’s face as she and Ruby walked in told Lena that she thought so too.  “Girls, this is lovely.  I’m sure Alex and Maggie will love it.” 

“Well, we’re about to find out!  Everyone spread out, and when they walk in, we’ll all shout ‘congratulations.’”  Kara could barely control her enthusiasm, and Lena loved it.  She took her place by Kara’s side, with Sam on the other.  Just as it seemed like they were about to walk in, there was a hard thump against the door.  Then … rustling?  _Oh._   Lena giggled, and Kara, who was obviously hearing a lot more than Lena was, produced a very loud fake cough.  An audible “oh shit,” came from the other side of the door.

As Maggie led a visibly embarrassed Alex into the house, embarrassment gave way to surprise and joy as everyone shouted, “SURPRISE!”  Maggie and Alex made their rounds, accepting hugs and showing off Alex’s ring.  Maggie had been so right—it was perfect.  It sat on her finger like it had always belonged there. 

There was a glint in her eyes as Alex teased, “You know, Luthor, I’m still mad at you.  But I hear you had a hand in this—” she held up her left hand theatrically, “—and I’ll give you major props for that.  It is perfect.  You’re still in the doghouse, but keep it up, maybe I’ll let you back into the family after all.”  That was music to Lena’s ears, and more than she honestly expected. 

“Thank you, Alex.  Don’t worry—I won’t let you down again.  I’m just … so happy to see you and Maggs this happy.  Congrats, darling.”  They hugged briefly, before Maggie wrapped her up in the biggest hug of the night. 

“Thank you,” she whispered into Lena’s ear.  “I totally could’ve done this on my own, but it’s so much better having my best gal pal by my side.  Don’t worry about Alex; I’ll wear her down.”  Lena chuckled, smiling brightly. 

Sam popped up from behind Alex, handing champagne to the happy couple.  Once everyone had a flute, she said, “Alright alright, story time.  Tell us about the proposal!”

Maggie grinned at Alex, gesturing as if it were her story to tell.  And honestly, the way Alex told it, Lena was sure Maggie was right.  Alex’s account of the proposal was so vivid, so heartfelt, that Lena felt as though she could actually see it.  Almost as if she was actually there.

\---------

They were walking down the beach.  After Eliza took Ruby for ice cream, Maggie had insisted they go for a stroll, and Alex was happy to comply.  It was a gorgeous night—the moon was full and bright, with not a cloud in the sky.  There was a gentle breeze on the cool salty air.  And Maggie’s hand felt so good in her own.  They had walked for probably a good thirty minutes, just talking and smiling and enjoying each other.  Eventually, Maggie asked Alex to sit down on the beach and to close her eyes.

She sat there, dutifully blind, for a good chunk of time.  Three, maybe five, minutes passed, and she could hear the noises of Maggie doing something in the sand behind her.  She giggled, trying to imagine what her tiny detective was up to.  Then, finally, she felt Maggie’s arms around her forearms as she pulled Alex gently to her feet.

 “Open your eyes, gorgeous.”  Maggie was standing in front of her, the waves softly breaking against the beach behind her and the moonlight illuminating her in a silky blue-white light.  Alex looked at her quizzically, and Maggie just winked, before taking her hands. 

“You know, you had me from the moment you put on your ‘scary Agent Danvers’ face and told me that my jurisdiction ended where you said it did.  I guess it still does, if you think about it.”  Maggie cracked the most beautiful grin.  “Even though you were pretending you were straight or whatever, it was pretty obvious that everything had changed in that moment.  I can’t pretend that I realized it then—I was pretty wary of falling for you, as you well know.  I **_really_** didn’t want to be the one to drag your oblivious ass out of the closet, but I knew I was fucked when you showed up in **_that_** dress at the fight club and did your whole ‘flustered at the sight of a pretty girl thing.’  Sorry it took me a while to get over myself.”

Alex’s heart fluttered.  This trip down memory lane was clearly leading somewhere.  Some part of her knew exactly where it was headed, but Alex was damn sure going to enjoy the journey.  She smirked, thinking about how rarely she was able to get Maggie monologuing like this.

“But from the moment you came into my life, you’ve been making it even more of a mess than usual, and that’s saying something.  I mean, we’ve each been kidnapped, and then saved each other.  Fight clubs.  Rogue aliens.  Family squabbles.  Couple of alien invasions.  And yet … the most terrifying, exhilarating, absolutely amazing thing in my life this whole time—actually, **_ever_** —has been falling in love with you, Danvers.”  Maggie couldn’t contain her smile, and Alex could feel the tears welling up in her eyes.

“I’m so proud that I’ve gotten to be here by your side as you’ve grown into yourself, into this brave, powerful, utterly compassionate woman who is just as capable of handling the hardest of emotional battles as easily as an alien invasion.  You’re a lover **_and_** a fighter, and that’s what I love about you.  You’re the most incredible person I’ve ever known, Danvers.  You’re my ride or die.  I told you once that we should always kiss the girls we want to kiss, and if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that you’re the girl I want to kiss.  Each and every day.  Forever.”  Maggie gently spun Alex around, and her eyes lit up. 

There, in the sand, Maggie had delicately traced out the words ‘Alex Danvers will you marry me?’  The word ‘Alex’ was smaller, written diagonally above the ‘Da’ of ‘Danvers’ and a bit more haphazardly than the rest of the words, as if Maggie added it at the last minute on a whim.  So Maggie.  The warm tears were falling slowly down her cheeks towards her almost painfully large smile, and Alex turns back to face her soon-to-be-fiancée.  Maggie wasn’t on a knee or anything, but she had the ring out and a huge smile on her face, dimples in full affect.  “Well?”

Alex threw her arms around Maggie, careful not to knock the ring out of her hand, lifting her into the air and spinning her around like it was a movie.  They were both laughing giddily.  She sat Maggie back down on the beach and kissed her passionately.  Then she pulled back and raised an eyebrow, snarking, “So does this mean you love me?”  Maggie immediately punched her in the arm, and just stood there stubbornly waiting for an answer.  “Yes, dummy!  Yes!  I will marry you!”  Maggie put the ring on her finger, and Alex was blown away by how perfect it was.  The silver of the band reflected the moonlight delicately, displaying the antique pattern carved into the band around the alternating amethysts and smaller diamonds.  It was … Alex exhaled.  It was just a piece of jewelry, but it fit her so perfectly.  It was a symbol, of just how Maggie **_got_** her.  It was a beautiful symbol of their bond.  Alex loved it.

\---------

By the end of the story, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.  Even Ruby had shed a couple of tears at the beautiful tale.  Lena shared a tender look with Sam and Kara, and all three of them were clearly thinking about their earlier conversation.  Love was in the air, and it was beautiful.  Lena sighed—it was remarkable how quickly grief could give way to joy, and maybe the darkest of moments needed to be followed by the brightest sometimes.  They spent the rest of the night toasting Sanvers (Sam was in on the portmanteau now, so all three of them kept trying to convince the couple that they absolutely had to change their last names), telling stories, and throwing out wedding ideas.  The ideas got progressively more outrageous the more champagne was consumed.  For Lena, it was almost magical.  It was family. 


	40. Little Bird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Lena go for a hike together and work on rekindling their friendship, while Kara and Eliza play Scrabble and chat with Ruby.

** Chapter 40 **

A healthy amount of cloud coverage had moved in overnight, but it was still a beautiful day for a hike in Midvale.  Sam was grateful that she and Kara had the same size in shoes, though she supposed she didn’t exactly need boots for hiking, since her feet were literally invulnerable.  Still, she had already caught Lena checking her long, exposed legs out at least three times, and that was totally worth the tiny bit of extra effort she had put into her Tomb Raider-esque hiking attire.  Lena, whose human body didn’t have the same sort of tolerance for the cool that Sam’s did, was wearing dark skinny jeans and a form-fitting, bright blue, heathered jogging half-zip top that made Sam really want to grab it and pull it off of her.  And speaking of pulling, Lena’s perfect ponytail looked perfectly grabbable.  Maybe Sam would give that a test later.

Lena had taken her to this forest that Kara adored, and they were just wandering through it, no particular destination in mind.  It was an opportunity for them to just spend time together, the two of them, for the first time in months.  And Sam could see that they really needed it.  It was so refreshing getting to know Lena again.  Between all of Sam’s alien issues and her new relationship with Kara—which also involved Lena working hard to keep things from changing too much in her own relationship with Kara—the two formerly best friends had started drifting apart even before everything blew up with Reign.  Before Lena got all distant.  This was the first time in years that Sam felt as though Lena could actually surprise her.

It was both refreshing and disheartening, to be perfectly honest.  It hadn’t been that long ago that Lena and Sam had been so close it was almost like they could read each other’s thoughts.  They had been each other’s person for years now.  Lena was not just the Carol to her Abby; she was the Meredith to her Cristina.  And now, through a perfect storm of tragedy, trauma, and pure insanity, they were in an entirely novel position, relationship-wise.  Everything was both familiar and foreign.

“Okay but she really said ‘I flew here **_on a bus_** ’ and then—what?—you just both pretended she didn’t say it?”

“I shit you not.  Sam, it was the most precious thing ever.  She froze, like a bespectacled deer in the headlights, after she said ‘flew here’ … like her brain was still processing that she had just dropped that information casually, then she stuttered her way into that ridiculous cover.  She didn’t even bother disguising her grimace as she said it!  I can’t believe she thought she just got away with it.”  Lena’s voice was pure affection and joy. 

“I’ve never really known Kara to let herself mess up that blatantly before—did your presence simply put her at ease or was it the opposite?”  Sam had been walking a couple of paces ahead of Lena, and turned back to raise a teasing eyebrow as she asked the question. 

“Well you know, Samantha, I’d like to think that our souls just recognized their mates in each other from day one, but we both know how intimidating I can be.  And I **_was_** wearing a very stylish dress that day.”  There was a hint of deviousness to Lena’s tone, and holy shit it was an incredible turn on.  Sam wondered how it was possible that her intense sexual attraction to Lena had laid dormant for so long.  Was it just something that her mind blocked out after the pain of their break up?  Sam was suddenly intensely curious about it.

“Hey Lee?”

“Yes, Sam?”  Lena picked up her pace until she was walking side by side with Sam again, and while she didn’t go for Sam’s hand, she was close enough that their hands kept swiping against each other, in the most tantalizing way.

“When did you first start to realize that you were attracted to me again?”  Sam tentatively let the intense vulnerability she felt inside seep out into her voice, just a little.  Testing the waters of letting Lena in again, trusting her with her feelings.

Lena’s hesitation spoke to her own vulnerability on this topic.  “I ... Sam, I never, umm, never stopped?  Being attracted to you, that is.”  She glanced over at Sam nervously, and she could hear Lena’s heartbeat speed up a tick.  “I’m guessing that means … you stopped?  At some point?”

Sam winced.  She hadn’t meant it like that.  “I … Lee, when we broke up, it hurt.  I … shit, I just shut it all off, honestly.  Buried all my feelings for you.  Those feelings anyway.  That’s probably part of the reason I never let myself fall for anyone else after that.  Although … I don’t know, maybe I just hadn’t met the right person.  I opened up pretty immediately to Kara after all, despite the fact that she had this amazing girlfriend already, who I happened to also have this terribly complicated history with.”  Sam grinned impishly at Lena, trying to lighten the mood just slightly.

“This girlfriend sounds like a bitch, if you ask me.”  Lena grinned back.

“Ohhh she can be, trust me.  But she’s not so bad when she actually opens up and lets herself be vulnerable with the people who love her.”  She elbowed Lena playfully in the ribs, careful not to use any of her considerable strength. 

“Thanks, jerk.”  Lena chuckled.  “So … when did you start getting all hot and bothered for me again?”  Sam’s head jerked sideways, eyes narrowed and lips pursed—Lena’s brashness had surprised her in the best way. 

“Careful, Lee.  Keep being saucy like that, and I might just tackle you right here in the woods.”

Lena snorted.  “Oh no, that sounds just **_oh_** so **_terrible_**.”

Sam rolled her eyes and considered actually doing it but decided to at least answer Lena’s question first.  “I could tell there was something different about you, something oh so **_intriguing_** , from the first moment I saw you again in National City.  Kara changed you, awoke something in you, and yeah, I think seeing this new version of you definitely awakened something in me too.  But I was distracted enough by Kara that I didn’t really think about it too much.” 

Movement in her periphery distracted her, and she turned her head in time to see a small grey animal scamper away.  At first, she guessed it was a cat, but it was definitely a small fox.  Adorable little creature.  She glanced over.  Lena had missed it, her senses and reflexes much too slow.  The two of them stopped, and Sam found herself captivated by the features of Lena’s face.

The warm sunlight, filtered through the still-growing canopy of the forest in the early spring, gave Lena’s delicate skin a warm, almost dewy appearance.  Lena’s lips were every bit as full as ever, but their natural pink was unvarnished by any of the various shade of red lipstick she so regularly adorned them with.  Sam’s alien eyes could detect the faint hint of the chapstick she had applied that morning.  Her gaze traced a path from Lena’s lips across her wide jawline, past the slightest hint of pink in her cheeks to the piercing pale green of her eyes.  Lena was wearing nothing but a bit of mascara, maybe a hint of eyeliner, and the green of her eyes almost appeared blue in the light of the forest.  Her eyebrows were raised slightly, and her eyes searched Sam’s, as if to ask ‘do you like what you see?’  The left side of Sam’s lips tipped upwards in just a bit of a crooked grin, and she winked at the gorgeous woman in front of her.

That was when she noticed the tiny bird perched on the low-hanging tree limb just behind Lena.  It’s head was a striking yellow, with scattered black markings making their way down its plumage as yellow gave way to the white of its wings and tail feathers.  It fluttered its wings slightly, and it almost looked as if it was performing the bird equivalent of making a silly face.  Sam giggled, causing Lena to raise an eyebrow in question.  “Has Kara ever told you what our nickname for you is, just between the two of us?”

Lena’s narrowed eyes said no.  Sam grinned, then walked away, finding a nice shady spot under a tree to sit down.  Lena followed her but refused to sit, apparently waiting to hear about the nickname.  Sam patted the ground next to her.

“Come come, sit by me, and I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”  Lena faked as though she were thinking it over, then sighed and took a seat, pressing herself against Sam’s side much more closely than was necessary.  Sam grinned wider.

“So, you remember when you basically told me I should date your girlfriend then you tricked us both into meeting in the park?”

“I remember it **_a bit_** differently than that, but the story sounds vaguely familiar, yes.”

“Well, when Kara first came up to me in the park, she asked me if a little bird told me that she was going to be there.  And the image of you in my head, as a tiny cartoon bird, was so hilarious it stayed with me.  We’ve been calling you ‘little bird’ ever since.”

“That’s almost cute.  I’ll allow it.  But what made you think of it just now?”  Lena’s fingers playfully tapped out patterns on Sam’s thigh.  Sam could smell Lena’s shampoo now, mixed with the slightly more earthy scent of the light sweat she had worked up on their hike.  She felt a warm spark tingle down her spine and settle low in her gut.

“Oh nothing.  There was a little bird making faces at me behind you.”  Sam’s arm was between their thighs, and she raised up her thumb casually, sneakily, so that Lena’s wrist would graze against it every now and again as she continued playing her light beats on Sam’s thigh.  Then she took a deep, grounding breath.

“As for your other question … I let myself feel my attraction for you again when you saved my life.”  Lena’s hand froze as her whole body tensed.  “Sorry.  The past months have been sort of a rollercoaster.  When you freed me of her, it felt like we had all made it out on the other side.  Things were so good with me and Kara, and yet you, Lena, you were the one who saved me.  And I let myself wonder, just a little, what the future may hold for all three of us.  Then …”

“Then I systematically pushed you away and cut you out.”  Lena’s guilt saturated her tone, and Sam immediately took her hand, trying to ground her friend.  They were both still feeling the pain of that wound, but Sam knew they could heal from it, together.

“Yeah,” she confirmed, softly and without any accusation in her voice.  “But we’re here now, Lee.  This time, we really are on the other side of it.  We’re friends again, and … whatever else we might end up being.”  Lena turned her head to meet Sam’s gaze, and the sudden proximity of their faces brought back flashes of that moment together on the roof of that building.  The warm spark that had settled in her gut moved a little lower, pooling as all her senses heightened in anticipation.  Lena’s nose grazed against hers as their lips moved to meet, softly at first and then with increased fervor.

Sam’s hand wrapped around Lena’s neck, pulling her face in closer as Sam’s tongue traced Lena’s teeth on its way to her tongue.  Lena responded passionately, sliding her weight over until she was straddling Sam, pressing down into her hungrily.  Sam remembered her thought from earlier, and her hand moved upwards, grasping Lena’s ponytail firmly and pulling just enough to elicit a deep, “mmmmmm” from Lena’s throat.

Lena pulled back, hissing pleasantly.  “I’m assuming you haven’t been intimate with a human since getting your powers, so just … be careful with me, okay?”  The fact that Lena couldn’t keep her hands off of Sam as she asked the question told Sam that Lena trusted her not hurt to hurt her.  And Lena’s eyes flashed brightly with pure desire as she leaned back into their kiss.  It sent a terrific shudder down Sam’s body, and she gasped into Lena’s mouth as her hands tightened around Lena’s fragile form. 

Lena’s hand came to rest on Sam’s chest, but it was not content to stay still.  She traced a breathtaking line across Sam’s breast and down her side, slipping the tip of a finger under the fabric of Sam’s shorts and sliding sideways until her hand found the button, delicately unclasping it.  Lena didn’t stop kissing Sam at all, if anything her tongue and lips grew even more hungry as her hand worked the zipper of Sam’s shorts down and drew a teasing line up the now damp fabric of her underwear.  Lena turned her hand and slipped her fingers in slowly under the elastic band of the underwear, drawing a tingling hum through Sam’s throat.

Lena’s hand never stopped its downward motion, but she managed to move it so agonizingly slow through Sam’s slick curls that it felt like Lena would never reach her destination.  Sam’s body tensed and jumped at each new sensation as Lena’s hand grew warmer and warmer.   The only reason she hadn’t already demanded that Lena hurry the fuck up was that she was focusing on making sure that her body’s responses weren’t **_too_** enthusiastic.  Her fingers traced sharp, but not too sharp, patterns against Lena’s back, and just as Lena’s fingers split teasing around her clit to slide instead softly down her now very wet folds, Sam’s hips arched up against Lena’s weight.  She could feel the desire, hot and wet, coursing through her entire body.

Lena’s other arm left Sam’s collarbone and moved against the tree.  She pushed them gently away, and Sam, catching on to what she was going for, used a brief bit of superstrength and flight to maneuver them away from the tree and onto the ground.  Lena moved slightly so that she was firmly on top of Sam, and she continued kissing her passionately while her hand found a more stimulating angle to work from.  Sam couldn’t take the teasing anymore, and she whimpered, “Lee, I’m not going to hurt you, now please please please just fuck me.”

Lena chuckled but complied.  Two thoroughly lubricated fingers found their way gently inside of Sam, and she gasped again as Lena pressed into her, the heel of her hand making firm contact against Sam’s clit.  “Mmhmmm,” she moaned, and Lena fed off of the pleasure radiating through Sam’s body language.  She could feel that same gravity between them again, but it finally felt as though their bodies were almost close enough.  Sam’s head tilted back unintentionally in a groan of pleasure, but Lena wasn’t about to let up.  She felt her friend’s lips and tongue pressed roughly against her collarbone and then up her neck, flicking, sucking, and kissing in an enticingly electric pattern that only increased the heat now surrounding Lena’s hand between her legs. 

Sam could barely think straight, and her willpower was evenly divided between enjoying the things Lena was doing to her and making sure that her enjoyment didn’t crush the delicate limbs currently giving her such pleasure.  Her back arched, and her efforts to control herself pushed them softly up into the air as Lena’s hand brought Sam closer and closer to the edge.

She managed to gasp, “I’m so close, I’m so close,” as Lena’s lips found their way up to her ear lobe.  Lena sighed into her ear as she caught the lobe between her teeth, and that did it.  Sam cried out in pleasure as the heat spread through her thighs and torso, tingling out into her limbs as her body rocked with the movement of Lena’s hand.  She almost felt like her whole body was vibrating with the waves of her climax.

As she released a labored final breath of ecstasy, she accidentally dropped them the half a foot or so that they were floating, her whole body releasing as she unwound.  Then her mind snapped to full attention, and her eyes popped open.  She grabbed at Lena’s hand.  “Lee, are you okay?!  Please tell me I didn’t hurt you.”

Lena’s hand was soft and warm and still wet from being inside her.  But there were no broken bones.  Lena laughed, and Sam blushed.  “My hand feels pretty great, actually. You felt kinda incredible as you came, darling.”

“Sorry!  You just … wow, it felt so good I got lost in it, just for a second, and I was afraid …”

“You didn’t hurt me, Sam.  You did good.  But don’t worry, I think we can find some time to practice plenty, get you used to sex with someone as—“ she leaned in, whispering the words seductively, “ ** _soft_** and **_delicate_** as me.”  She planted the faintest ghost of a kiss on Sam’s lips, sending an aftershock shuddering through her body.  It drove Sam wild, and she had Lena on her back in an instant.

“Alright, my turn.  I’ve picked up a few new tricks since the last time you and I had a good roll in the hay, so to speak.  Let me show you.”

~~~~

“Quixotic,” Kara recited gleefully.  “With the double-word score, that’s 52 points.” 

“That’s impossible!  Kara, promise me you’re not cheating!”  Ruby was incredulous.  Kara shot Ruby her most offended look.

“Ruby!  You know me better than that!  I would never cheat.  I swear on R—on, on … ummm, **_potstickers_**.”  Ruby and Eliza both grinned, knowing that Kara would never betray the sacred nature of her favourite snack food.  The three of them were playing a casual game of Scrabble in the living room, with _Parks and Recreation_ episodes streaming quietly in the background.  Maggie and Alex were upstairs in their room, and Kara very much did not want to know what they were actually doing instead of catching up on _Into the Badlands_ episodes like they had claimed.  She had gladly turned a blind super ear to the goings on in that room.

Kara struggled a bit more with not eavesdropping on Sam and Lena’s hike, even though that was a little bit more of a challenge for her to hear from so far away.  A couple of times she heard their heartbeats speeding up almost in unison, and it took a tremendous amount of control not to listen in more intently and to keep the silly grin off of her face.  She had promised to give them their space together—when they wanted to involve her, she trusted that they would. 

Fortunately, she was very much enjoying the bonding time she was getting with Ruby and Eliza.  They had been lazing about in PJs all day, and it was oh so relaxing.  Kara was particularly impressed by Eliza’s ability, when Ruby asked many, many questions about Kara at her age, to answer them warmly and genuinely without at all giving away that she was obfuscating, and at times outright lying, to protect Kara’s secret. 

Ruby had an odd look on her face, one that Kara hadn’t seen before.  It was like she was puzzled but didn’t want to show that she was puzzled.  Maybe?  Kara raised an eyebrow, hoping the girl would open up to her.  Ruby sighed, then asked, so quietly that Kara was sure Eliza didn’t hear her, “What’s quixotic mean?”

Kara beamed at the girl.  Ruby was such a smart kid, and she was maybe just a smidge too proud about that fact.  Of course she didn’t want to admit she didn’t know what the word meant.  The fact that she was willing to ask Kara rather than sneakily look it up on her phone told Kara that the girl was really starting to trust her.

“Great question, Ruby!  Okay so it’s like … really overly idealistic.  Like … naively or impractically so.”  Ruby considered her words.

“So … like when Mom tells me I can be anything I want to be if I just put my mind to it?”

“Yeah!  Wait … no!”  Kara winced.  “That’s … more of a …. I mean, sure, it’s idealistic, but not … you **_can_** …”

“What Kara is trying to say is that your mom is right, in a way.  Once you figure out what you’re really meant to be, what your heart really wants from life … as long as you work your hardest, you can absolutely accomplish your goals and be whoever you want to be.”  Kara sighed.  Thank Rao for Eliza.  “I think quixotic is more like … if we thought that every city having a Supergirl would automatically solve all the world’s problems.”

“Yeah!  Like that,” Kara agreed.  “As hard as Supergirl works, she is just a person after all, and some problems are beyond even her.”  Kara had no problems admitting her own limitations, especially as she got older and wiser. 

“I guess it’s a good thing Supergirl has Power Girl watching her back then, huh?”  Ruby’s comment was so insightful that Kara almost worried she suspected something. 

“You’re a fan of Power Girl, huh, Ruby?”  Eliza sounded genuinely curious.  She had been genuinely worried when Kara and Lena first explained the whole Power Girl née Reign thing.  But she had softened the more Kara explained how much Sam had been through.  How traumatic it had been for her.  Eliza was ever the nurturer, and by the time they had decided that Sam would take her place as a hero alongside Supergirl, Eliza had become one of her biggest supporters.  Kara thought that she was really happy that Kara had someone in her life—her everyday life, unlike Kal—who could understand her, in a way that Alex and Lena couldn’t.   “You aren’t concerned with all the negative things people have to say?”

“Nope!  People are stupid and mean.  I mean … some people.  Lots of people.  But not all people.”  Ruby frowned.  “Power Girl very obviously isn’t Reign.  You can see it in the photos she and Supergirl took together, in the way she talks about Supergirl.  She cares about Supergirl, wants to protect her.  She admires Supergirl as much as the rest of us.  She couldn’t …”  Ruby’s frown deepened.

“It’s okay, sweetie.  We get it.  And we agree, don’t we Kara?”  Eliza glanced over, and Kara smiled brightly at Ruby.

“Of course, we do!  Alex says Power Girl is really cool, actually.”  Ruby looked up at her hesitantly, a smile forming on the edges of her lips.

“Really?  I knew she worked with Supergirl, but Power Girl too?”

“Yeah, apparently they’ve become pretty good work friends lately!  She worries about Power Girl, though.  Apparently she still feels really guilty about the things that Reign did, and all she wants to do is prove to the world that she just wants to help.  I think things have been pretty hard for her lately.  So it’s good to know that she has fans!”

Ruby laughed.  “Well I’m definitely a fan.  Supergirl’s still my first love, but Power Girl is awesome.  And Kara?”  She leaned in closer, voice quieting.  “Can I tell you a secret?”

“Sure thing, Rubes.”

The girl whispered, “I think Power Girl’s suit is way cooler.  Black and red just … I mean it’s a great colour scheme.  And that mask is smart.  I worry someone is going to figure out who Supergirl is one of these days, she doesn’t even bother hiding her identity.”

“Your secret is safe with me.”  Kara tried not to laugh.  It was adorable that Ruby’s affections were so divided between her mom and her mom’s girlfriend, even though she didn’t know it.  _Or did she?_ The way that Ruby worried after Supergirl’s identity made Kara wonder, so she slyly defended Supergirl in order to gauge Ruby’s reaction.  “I think it’s important to her that people not think she has anything to hide.  Supergirl is proud of who she is.”

Ruby didn’t look like she was trying to insinuate anything, not really.  In fact, she seemed genuinely to be struggling with that idea.  “So … you think Power Girl has something to hide?”

Kara hadn’t thought about it that way.  “Ummm, no, not exactly.  I mean … she was human for most of her life, right?  She probably has a life and people she cares about—maybe she’s just not used to the whole superhero life, and wearing a mask made more sense for her?  Maybe she and Supergirl just see it differently, you know?”

“Yeah, I think that makes sense.  And maybe Supergirl doesn’t really have a secret identity or anything… maybe she’s just Supergirl all the time?”  Ruby seemed to convince herself, thinking that that made the most sense.

“Maybe so, dear.  That would certainly explain why she doesn’t bother wearing a mask.”  Eliza’s voice almost sounded sincere, despite the many conversations she and Alex had had with Kara over the years about the inevitability that she would be found out eventually.  She played the word ‘tonic.’

Ruby’s attention was fully away from the game at this point, however.  “Hey Kara?”

“Yes, Ruby?”

“Are you excited about Alex and Maggie’s engagement?”  Kara narrowed her eyes suspiciously. 

“Yeahhhh?  Of course I am.  Why do you ask?”

“Wellll … I was just wondering if you were gonna get engaged to my mom someday?  Or to Lena?”  Ruby put a hand to her chin, pondering.  “Or both?  Can you do that?”

Kara nearly fell out of her chair.  She was absolutely not prepared for this line of questioning.  Eliza laughed out loud.  Meanwhile, Ruby was looking over at her expectantly.

“Ummm.  Wow.  Okay.  Well … let me ask you, Ruby?  Is that something you would be okay with, I mean, someday?” 

Ruby considered it.  “I mean, yeah, as long as you don’t scare Lena off.  You make Mom really happy, and you’re really cool and nice and fun to hang out with.  Plus your mom is really cool.  If you and Mom got married could we come back to Midvale all the time?!”  Her voice was full of excitement now.

“Sweetie, you and your mom are always welcome here, regardless of any future, uhh, nuptials.”  Ruby smiled back at her.

“And … you know, I don’t know what the future holds, Ruby.  I’m beyond happy for Alex and Maggie, but marriage isn’t necessarily for everyone.  And it’s definitely more complicated when more than two people are involved, kiddo.”  Ruby frowned again, maybe confused as to why that would make a difference.  “In the United States, it’s illegal to be married to more than one person,” Kara clarified.  “There are a lot of good historical reasons for that, but it is maybe kind of an unnecessary and outdated law these days.  But regardless, whatever happens with me and your mom and Lena in the future, all you need to worry about is that I love your mom a whole lot.  And we’ll always keep you in the loop on our plans, okay?”

“Yeah, that sounds good.” 

Kara pulled her into a fierce hug.  “Yeah, I think so, too.”


	41. Back to Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back from Midvale, we take a look at a normal morning in Sam's life, at home with Kara and at work with Lena.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, lighthearted little chapter, but I hope everyone enjoys. 
> 
> **Fair warning BIG SEASON 2 SPOILERS FOR THE GOOD PLACE.**

** Chapter 41 **

The sound of her alarm going off pulled Sam from the most blissful dream, and she was tempted to reach out and crush her phone as punishment for its insolence.  Fortunately, the now rousing blonde curled into her side reminded her that real life was every bit as blissful now as any dream, and so she simply reached over and turned off the alarm, then shifted until she and Kara were face to face.

“Morning, sleepy Blondie.”  Kara nuzzled her nose to Sam’s without opening her eyes.

“Five more minutes,” she plead softly, eliciting a chuckle from her girlfriend. 

“No can do, babe.  We’ve gotta get ready for work, and we’ve also gotta make sure Ruby gets to school.”

Kara made a low noise in her throat in complaint.  “But we have superspeeeeeeed.”

“Which my daughter cannot find out about for at least another three years.” 

“You know I respect that, but what happens in the privacy of your bedroom is off limits to your daughter.  Five more minutes.”  Sam was almost tempted to give in.  Her and Kara’s legs were comfortably entwined, and the warmth of her body was so inviting.  Plus Kara never looked more angelic than when she was half asleep and refusing to get out of bed in the morning.  A petulant angel, but an angel nonetheless.

Sam leaned in and kissed Kara’s forehead, earning a smile even if Kara still refused to open her eyes.  “Well, I’m going to get completely naked and hop under the deliciously hot water of my shower right now.  But if you want to stay here in bed—” Sam used her speed and flight to spring from bed and drag the comforter and sheet off of Kara’s body, “—without any covers, that is your prerogative.”

Kara groaned loudly, but she was only a couple of seconds behind Sam getting into the shower.  Sam screeched when Kara pinched her ass.  “Kara, what the fuck?”

“That was for tempting me out of bed with all of your sexiness.  Now kiss me.”  Neither of them had brushed their teeth yet this morning, but Sam didn’t even care.  The shower was exactly nineteen minutes longer than strictly necessary.  Sam was a big fan of Kara’s concept of punishment.  And she was definitely awake now.

As Sam was adding a bit of wave to her freshly dried hair, she heard Kara’s voice from inside the closet.  “Hey Sam, how are things going with Lena?”

Sam wasn’t quite sure how to answer that question.  They had spent another day in Midvale before coming home yesterday, and things felt really great between her and Lena.  But they hadn’t really had time to talk yet about the nature of their relationship or what either of them was expecting going forward.

“I’m not really sure how to answer that, babe.  I need to talk to Lena first.”  Kara was suddenly in the bathroom, wearing trousers and a white button-up she hadn’t had time to button yet.  A concerned look clouded her face.  “There there, calm down, weirdo.  Things are good!”  Kara breathed a sigh of relief, then buttoned up her shirt in a flash.  “I just don’t quite know what we’re doing yet.  And that’s fine—we’re not in any rush to go defining things.”

"Really?”  Kara’s concern had been replaced with confusion.  She had returned to the bathroom with a sweater over her top, and now they were putting on their makeup together.  Sam wasn’t sure how it managed to work out this way, but the morning routine when Kara was over always somehow found them doing their makeup at the same time.  If Sam didn’t know any better, she would think Kara planned it purposely, but it always felt natural, never forced.

“Like I said, I should really talk to Lena—I’m pretty sure that she’s fine with all three of us sharing info about our individual relationships, but it isn’t something we’ve talked about specifically yet.” 

“So, you guys went on a long hike together and an ice cream date in Midvale, and never once had a talk about defining the relationship?” 

“That’s exactly what I’m telling you, Kara.  I don’t know, our relationship is just … different than what either of us have with you.  Like I said, I don’t think either of us really feels the need to rush to label it or anything.  We’re just … we’re in a good place now, and we’re still healing.  Suffice to say, I’m just happy to explore it.  So far, it’s just ummm, really sexy.  And that’s all I’ll say about it for now.  Let me talk to Lena first, okay?”

Kara had already finished her makeup (she wore a little less than Sam did, unless she was in Supergirl mode—she still wouldn’t admit the obvious truth that she threw on additional makeup and added some volume to her hair when she changed, but that was the only explanation that made sense to Sam).  She gave Sam a kiss on the cheek, as if to say ‘fine, you do you,’ then she walked at human speed down the hall towards the kitchen to make breakfast for Ruby.

Sam finished up her mascara and grabbed her blazer and heels on the way out of the bedroom.  A smile remained, seemingly permanent, across her face as she walked into the living area, where Ruby and Kara were currently having a heated argument about the Season 2 finale of _The Good Place_.  The mornings when Kara was here were Sam’s favourites.  She loved how quickly Kara had become a part of their little family.

“Kara!  Chidi was speaking English, in a perfect American accent.  Sure, he was in Australia, so it makes sense that he would speak English.  But if it were real life, he’d have a French accent.”

Kara stuck her tongue out at Ruby as she slid the final couple of pancakes onto the serving plate.  “You’re too smart for your own good, Rubes.  I know that I can’t explain Chidi’s accent, but I still want to believe that Michael brought them back to life for real.  Another simulation just feels too cheap.  It doesn’t have the same emotional and moral resonance.  And that’s what the show is really about!”

“Okay okay, enough fighting you two.  I swear this is the tenth time you’ve had this argument, and it’s the same every time.  How did you even get onto this topic?”  She grabbed a plate and a couple of pancakes, and Ruby passed the butter and syrup.

“Ruby thought it would be funny to answer a question with a snarky _The Good Place_ gif, and things sorta spiraled from there.  You know how we get.”

Sam rolled her eyes, grinning the entire time.  “Oh **_yes_** , I do.  You’re both the worst.”

“That’s just rude, Mom.  You just don’t understand the bond that Kara and I share.”  Ruby elbowed her playfully, and Sam responded with her best ‘careful girl, I’m still your mom’ look.

“Ruby, did you catch up on all your homework last night?”

Ruby rolled her eyes.  “Yeeeees, **_Mom_**.  And yes, I made sure it’s all in my backpack.”

“Good girl.”  Sam caught Kara smiling at them and raised an eyebrow in question.

“Sorry!”  Kara blushed.  “You’re just such a cute mom is all.  I love Mom Sam.”

“You know that I’m always Mom Sam, right babe?” 

“Pssh, you know what I mean, dork.”  Kara leaned across the bar and kissed Sam.  Her lips tasted of syrup, and Sam resisted the urge to deepen the kiss.  She knew Ruby didn’t love it when they were too affectionate in front of her.

Sure enough, Ruby couldn’t stop herself from weighing in.  “You guys are so cute it’s gross, you know that?”

Kara fixed Ruby with her best Kara Danvers puppy dog pout and asked, “Come on, Ruby, don’t you love how happy I make your mom?”

Ruby rolled her eyes, finishing off her breakfast and standing up to put her plate in the dishwasher.  “Ugh, fine.  I like that Mom’s happy.  But that doesn’t mean I have to like it when you guys make out all over the place.”

“Hey!”  Kara and Sam exclaimed in unison.

“We do **_not_** ‘make out all over the place.’  I would say that we’re very **_discrete_** around you, kiddo.  You would die if you knew the kinds of things we got up to when you’re not around.”  Sam winked at Kara, drawing a wild blush to her cheeks and a loud groan from Ruby.

Mom!  T. M. I.”

“Hey, that’s what you get for shaming me for kissing my girlfriend.  There are always consequences for your actions, girlie.”  Ruby made a petulant face, and Sam stuck her tongue out playfully.  Kara rather awkwardly kept her eyes down as she grabbed Sam’s plate and fork, as if she was going to put them away.  “Now, are you ready to go?”

“Yeah, just let me grab my jacket.”  Ruby took off up the stairs, and Kara quickly pulled out the extra two dozen pancakes she had made for their Kryptonian dietary needs.  The two of them scarfed down the additional food at full speed, as they did every morning they had breakfast with Ruby.  As the heard the sounds of Ruby’s footsteps approaching the stairs again, Kara quickly polished off the syrup on her plate and placed the remaining dishware in the dishwasher.  As Ruby reentered the room, Sam turned back to Kara, wrapping her arms around her lower back and pulling her close.

“Have a great day at work, sweetheart.”  She kissed her softly but slowly, enjoying the sweet taste of her lips almost as much as the additional dramatic groan she earned from Ruby somewhere behind them.  “Lock the door on your way out?”

Kara nodded, smiling brightly.  Then she looked over Sam’s shoulder to tell Ruby goodbye.  “Have a great day at school, Rubes!  Remember, it’s a big day at work for your mom and Lena, so if you need anything give me a call unless it’s something you absolutely need Sam for, okay?”

Sam pulled away from her to grab her briefcase and purse.  Ruby answered, “Sure thing, Kara.  Will you be back tonight?”

“I don’t think so.  I’ve got plans with Alex, and I don’t know how long that’ll take.  But I’ll be back home with Lena tonight, I think.” 

“Okay!  Tell her I said hi!  She should come for dinner sometime this week.”

Sam jumped in, corralling Ruby towards the garage.  “I’m sure she would love to Rubes.  Now, we gotta get going.  Bye, babe!’

“Bye Kara!”

“Bye!”

~~~~

Sam strolled into her office looking hot as hell.  Lena felt herself blink several times as she took in the vision before her.  She was wearing a perfectly tailored, two-piece, dark blue suit with a shimmery pale green top and matching heels.  And she had clearly noticed the slight uptick in Lena’s heartbeat because suddenly her gait, already confident as usual, turned into a legitimate strut as she approached Lena’s desk. 

“See something you like, boss?” 

“Someone’s feeling saucy this morning.”  Lena grinned, and Sam’s face mimicked hers.  “I supposed we should discuss ground rules for workplace behaviour?”

“Well then, add that to the agenda, **_boss_**.  Should we start there?”  They took a seat together on the couch.

“We shall.  Rule the first: stop calling me boss.”  Lena smirked.  “At least … at work, anyway.”  Lena could tell by the increased warmth of Sam’s cheeks and her subtle lip bite that she caught Lena’s meaning.  “Just give me one second, please.”  She pulled out her phone and shot Kara a quick text message.

[8:21 a.m.]  **Next time you send your girlfriend to work looking this hot, please at least give me a warning.  I nearly fell out of my chair, darling.  It would’ve been so embarrassing, and highly unprofessional ;)**

She quickly turned her phone over and set it down, so that Sam couldn’t see.  Then she cleared her throat dramatically.  “Now then, I suppose we should have a ‘no affection in the workplace’ rule, at least … outside of one-on-one meetings in this office.”

Sam smirked, eyes still glancing back and forth between Lena and her phone.  “Probably add ‘flirting’ to that rule also, as difficult as that will be.  We wouldn’t want anyone who works for us to get the wrong idea.”

“No, we wouldn’t,” Lena agreed, wryly.

“Speaking of which … what exactly would be the right idea, so to speak?”  Lena felt her head tilt slightly in confusion.  “Kara … this morning she was asking how you and I are doing, and I didn’t really have an answer for her.  We haven’t exactly talked about **_us_** yet, you know?”

 ** _Us_**.  That still sounded so alien to Lena.  Maybe because she had no idea what it meant.  _What does Sam want **us** to be?  What does she expect from me?_  Lena’s stomach churned a little as her nerves got the better of her. 

“Woah woah woah, Lee, settle down there.”  Sam put a hand on her knee.  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.  I’m not … I’m not trying to rush into anything, okay?  We don’t have to put any labels on this that we don’t want to.”  Lena moved her hand down her own leg, creeping it under and into Sam’s.  She felt embarrassed that she freaked out a little.

“Sorry, love.  You’re absolutely right.  I’m just being silly.”  She glanced up at Sam.  “But then …”

“Why even ask?”  Sam quirked an eyebrow cheekily.  “Because I was curious how you would react.  Also … because no matter what, it’s important that we talk to each other and that we’re honest.  But just to be clear—I don’t have any expectations here.  I just wanna see where this takes us, find whatever the comfortable place is for our relationship.  What we have doesn’t have to be like what you and Kara have or what Kara and I have.”

Lena smiled.  “Of course not.  I mean … maybe, but you’re right.  We’ll figure that out together.  And there’s no rush.  For now … friends?  With the possibility of more?”

“I think we’re already well into the ‘more’ territory, Lee, but yes.  Friends is a fine label for now.  And it’s a hell of a step up from what we were a week ago.” 

They had apparently made enough progress in Midvale that Lena’s mouth didn’t mind retorting, “You’re never gonna let me live that down, are you?” before her brain could even think about not saying it.  Sam chuckled in response, and that’s when a soft noise from her phone told Lena that Kara had responded.  Lena shouldn’t have been surprised that the only response she got was a string of a good ten or twelve laughing emojis.  Typical Kara.

[8:25 a.m.] **Oh sure, laugh at my plight.  I might have to rethink this whole polyamory thing if we can’t work as a team on this, love.**

“I’m not letting it go anytime soon anyway.”  Sam pulled Lena’s hand, clearly going for her phone, but when Lena opened her mouth to protest, Sam instead brought the hand to her lips and kissed it, seductively rather than sweetly.  “So.  If you’re done sending silly texts to our girlfriend--”  Lena blushed, cursing that in her comfort and joy she had allowed her face to betray the emotions she felt, “--let’s assess where we’re at.  Professional behaviour at work.  More than friends who are figuring out what we are to each other.  I think the only thing left for us to discuss is my job title.”

Lena’s heart dropped out of her chest.  The pain of all the awful things she had said to Sam the last time they discussed this topic ate away at her.  “Sam, I can never take back the things I said to you, but I will do everything in my power to atone for them.”  Sam made as if to interrupt, but Lena raised her hand, silently asking not to be interrupted.  “I know that you’ve forgiven me, but … I just want you to know that I know what I said was wrong.  It was my insecurity speaking.  I know that you believe in me and in what we’re doing here at L-Corp.  I know that your desire to take a step back, to let Kaziah take over the reins, it’s not … I know you’re not abandoning me or our goals.  I know that you just want to be able to contribute to L-Corp, to Power Girl, and to Ruby, without failing any of us.  I know that it’s all important to you.  And I know that you wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t the right thing.”

Sam’s eyes were just a bit watery, Lena thought, and so maybe what she said hit home.  “Lena.  I know—”  She stopped, thinking.  “No, you know what?  Thank you.  I needed to hear that.  Deep down, I knew it.  I knew that you didn’t really think all those things about me.  But I feel a lot better hearing it.”  She looked over at Lena almost shyly.  “So … you’re really okay with me taking a step back at work?”

Lena squeezed her hand.  “I’m more than okay with it, Sam.  I’m going to do everything I can to make this work, and to protect your identity while I’m at it.  We’ll get you an office right by a stairwell that leads to the roof.”  Lena paused, a question on her tongue that she was fairly sure she knew the answer to already.  “Umm, does Kaziah?”

“Know that I’m Power Girl?  Yeah.  I mean, I didn’t even have to tell her.  She knew about Reign, and she put two and two together even before the Cat Grant article.  She’ll protect my secret even more vociferously than she has Kara’s, don’t worry.”  Sam grinned enthusiastically, then glanced down at her own phone, which had made the adorable little noise it did when Kara texted a bit earlier in the conversation.  Sam chuckled, then scolded Lena.  “Kara says you’re being a big baby, but if you insist, she’ll warn you next time.  Do I wanna know?”

“Oh, I just told her that it was rude not to warn me how hot you look today, no big deal.  I’m certainly not being a big baby.”  Lena made a dramatic face, earning a fake exasperated look from Sam. 

“Oh hey, that reminds me, is there anything between us that should stay between us, in terms of what I talk to Kara about when it’s just me and her?”

Lena pondered the question, thinking it over seriously.  “I really don’t think so.  If there is ever anything, we can discuss it, but I’m all for Kara being as involved as possible.  I’m not looking to keep anything from her.  What about you?”

“I feel the same.  But yeah, we’ll talk about it if we need to.”

“Great!  Going back to Kaziah, I trust her too.”  A random thought leapt to mind.  “Wait a second …  Are you and Kaziah still, ummm, fooling around?”  Lena felt a little awkward asking and a little more awkward that the question hadn’t occurred to her until just now.

Sam chuckled, then explained, “No, not since I’ve been with Kara.  I’m not saying never again, because wow Ziah is, you know, just like stupid good at sex, but for now… I just wanted to focus on things with Kara.  New relationships are challenging enough as it is, and we already had the complications of me being a mom and her being in a long-term relationship with my best friend.  Ziah understood.  Understands.”

“But I’m guessing she doesn’t know about you and me yet.  Is that going to be a problem, you think?” 

“Nah.  She’s not the jealous type.  Plus she knows about our history and how close we are.  She’ll be fine.” 

“Okay.  Then I won’t hide anything from her when we discuss the transition.  We’ll tell her why you and she are swapping roles, even though I will make sure she understands that I believe in her fully.  I don’t want her to think she’s less than worthy of the promotion.  I’ll also make it very clear that it’s up to her to cover any slack left by your duties as Power Girl, and to protect your identity at all costs.  We’re going to make this work, okay?”

“That means a lot, Lena.  I have no doubt that we can trust Kaziah, but I also don’t want to burden her beyond what she is comfortable with.  I don’t mind asking her to help cover for me, but I won’t let you make it seem like an order, okay?  She deserves to have that choice.”  Sam’s voice was firm and insistent.  Lena had no doubt that she would have forced Kaziah if that’s what was necessary to protect Sam, but she respected Kaziah too much to do so unless it was a last resort.  And she knew that the best ally was the willing one.

“Agreed.  She’ll also have a voice in how much publicity we want to give to the first alien CFO in the country.  As much as I would love to shout it from every rooftop, I want Ziah to be absolutely comfortable in her new role.”

Sam leaned back, resting both arms across the back of Lena’s couch.  “Glad that we are so thoroughly on the same page, Lee.  That makes everything so much easier.”  Lena mimicked her posture, and as a result, the toe of her heel just happened to find its way just under the perfectly hemmed seam of Sam’s pantleg.  She slid her toe casually upwards, maybe an inch, before sliding it ever so softly back down Sam’s leg.  Sam’s eyes sparkled with restrained desire.  “Before we get on with our workday, tell me when I can take you out for drinks this week.”

“I’ll have to check with Jess, but I’m pretty sure I could go for a nightcap after work on Wednesday, if that works for you.”  Sam leaned in close but left her leg in place so that Lena didn’t have to stop teasing her with her foot. 

She whispered, “That works for me,” before leaning in all the way and kissing Lena firmly.  Then she stood up and held out a hand.  “Now.  To business?”


	42. Moving On Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara has a big day at work, then she and Alex go shopping before dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The return of Dana who is totally not Dana Fairbanks from the L Word.

** Chapter 42 **

“Danvers, welcome back.”  Kara froze, did a double take, and then turned around slowly to face Snapper Carr.  Who just (1) used her real name and (2) was **_friendly_** to her.  A deep sense of dread filled her chest.  _What is going on?_  Snapper **_looked_** normal; it wasn’t like he was smiling or anything.  _Seriously, what the heck is going on?_

“Uhh, thanks Mr. Carr.”

“Don’t look so shocked.  Come on, I need to talk to you in my office.”  He didn’t give her time to question him, turning and heading through the nearby door.  Kara followed reluctantly, standing awkwardly just inside the door as Snapper took a seat at his desk.  He looked up at her curiously, then sighed.  “Danvers, take a seat.  Stop being weird.”

Kara hesitated, but took one of the two seats across the desk from Snapper.  “What ummm … what is—”

“Look, first of all, I just wanna offer my condolences.  Losing a parent is hard, especially at your age.”  He said it like he was speaking from experience, and Kara’s heart softened a little.  Snapper Carr was being sincere and just the tiniest bit vulnerable with her.  This was officially the strangest day of her life.

“Thanks.  It’s been tough, but we got through it as a family.  I really appreciated the days off.”  Kara had been really nervous she would have gotten pushback on her request, but now she could see why it hadn’t been an issue.

“Of course.”  Snapper grunted, clearly having grown uncomfortable with the pleasantries.  “Now.  I called you into my office for a reason.”  He fixed her with a sort of skeptical, assessing look over the glasses that rested lower on his nose.  It wasn’t intimidating exactly, but it certainly wasn’t encouraging.  “Your investigation of that alien trafficking ring.  I know you’ve been away, but have you been keeping up with the reception?  I assume you’re tracking how things are going on the justice side of things?”

She had.  The NCPD had worked with the FBI (the actual FBI, not the DEO posing as FBI) to take down the ring after Kara exposed them.  She had worked with Maggie on the timing of the piece so that there was no opportunity for them to go to ground.  All but one of its leaders were in custody, and now that Supergirl and Power Girl were back in town, she was confident that they would track down the last guy soon.  A gang of humans had been abducting unregistered aliens, preying on refugees who were too scared or too paranoid to try to come out of the shadows and join human society.  These aliens were then sold into slavery or servitude of various sorts, depending on their particular abilities or skills (or lack thereof).  It was horrifying, and it had been one of the most difficult experiences of Kara’s life.  The investigation had taken her a month and a half, and it had been heartbreaking and blood-boiling in equal measures.  Kara was tremendously proud of the work she put in on that story.

She hadn’t really paid much attention to what, if any, reception her article had received though.  “Detective Sawyer has been keeping me informed of the legal proceedings.  Apparently there are some jurisdictional issues to resolve, but they’ve got all but one of the ringleaders in custody.  But otherwise, I haven’t really paid much attention to—”

“The article was your best work.  I hate to admit it, but you may very well be an honest to god reporter, Danvers.”  The praise almost seemed to physically hurt Snapper.  “Doubt you’ve got what it takes to actually challenge the competition for a Pulitzer, but you’ve proven you belong here, kid.” 

Kara couldn’t hide her smile any longer.  Snapper had always been her biggest critic, often unfairly so, and hearing him tell her that she belonged there felt like a career milestone.  He was an ass, sure, but he was also a damn good reporter, and his opinion meant a lot to Kara.  Even though she kind of hated him.

“Ugh.  Don’t let it go to your head, Danvers.  And don’t think I’m gonna start taking it easier on you.  I actually have expectations for you now, so if anything, this job is about to get even more difficult.  But like I said, you’ve proven yourself.  And in doing so, you’ve earned a promotion.”  _A promotion?!_ “From here on out, you’re officially a beat reporter for the National City Tribune.  You’ll be covering all things alien.  Congrats.”

“Thank you, Mr. Carr.  You won’t regret this.”  She knew better than to let herself ramble around the overly gruff editor-in-chief. 

“I better not.  And don’t think you’re untouchable just because you’re Cat’s golden child.  Now, you’re an employee of my paper, under my supervision, so it was damn well gonna be my choice to promote you and my conversation to have with you.  But.  Cat wants to see you in her office when we’re done here.  Which we are, so you can move along now.”  He waved her out dismissively, but just before she walked out, he stopped her.  “Oh, and one last thing.  You’re a reporter now, not some worthless stringer.  ‘Bout time you started calling me Snapper.”

She didn’t have a clue how to acknowledge that, so she just kept walking.  As soon as she cleared his door, she hopped excitedly before pulling out her phone and shooting off a text to her group chat with Lena and Sam.

 _Sunny D_ : [ 8:41 a.m.] **Your girlfriend is officially the Trib’s newest alien issues beat reporter!!!!**

Their responses were nearly immediate and instantaneous.

 _Sam Bam Thank You Ma’am_ : [ 8:41 a.m.]  **A PROMOTION?!?!  CONGRATS BABE!!!**

 _Little Bird_ : [ 8:42 a.m.]  **Snapper finally got his head out of his ass.  This is wonderful news, darling.  Well deserved!!  Celebratory dinner tonight?**

Kara thought it over before typing out a quick response.

 _Sunny D_ : [ 8:43 a.m.] **I’ve got plans with Alex, but let me check with her.  Maybe we can meet up with everyone for dinner or at least drinks.  We’ll figure it out, or if not, we can all go out tomorrow, okay?**

 _Sam Bam Thank You Ma’am_ : [ 8:43 a.m.] **Sure thing, Blondie.  Just let us know!**

Suddenly, Kara remembered that Cat wanted to see her, so she sprung back into motion, hitting the stairs.  On her way, she typed out a quick text to Alex.

[ 8:46 a.m.]     **2 things.  1) I got a promotion!  Full-time alien issues beat reporter!!  And 2) how long is ring shopping gonna take, do you think?  Sam & Lena wanna celebrate by taking me out for dinner.  Any chance we could meet them (+ Ruby & Maggie?) after we’re done?**

She exited the stairs but waited for Alex’s response before heading into Cat’s office.  She could see Alex typing for a good two minutes before the response finally came.

[ 8:49 a.m.]    **Kara!  I am so proud of you.  We should absolutely celebrate.  Tell Lena to make plans for whatever restaurant you want, at 7.  I’ll come grab you from CatCo a little earlier than planned, and we should be fine.**

Kara grinned, typing out her thanks and then messaging Lena to get them a table for six, somewhere Lena knew she would love.  Sometimes Kara enjoyed being surprised.  Then she strode confidently towards Cat’s office.  Eve grinned at her and waved her in, apparently having already been told to expect her.  As she walked in, Cat stood up from her very comfortable chair, a pleased look on her face.  Then she extended her arms dramatically in front of her and applauded Kara.  She may have had a devious grin on her face, but Kara knew the sentiment was genuine.

She tried, and failed, to avoid blushing.  “Ah.  Please stop, Ms.—err, umm Cat.”   

“No, Kara, I don’t think I will.  You’ve done tremendous work in your short career, and this promotion has been a long time coming.  If it were solely up to me, you’d have been a permanent beat reporter long ago.  And as I’m sure Lucas didn’t give you the pomp and circumstance you’re due, I’m forced to **_yet again_** step to the plate and clean up after the incompetence of an employee.”  Kara grinned.  She loved Cat’s refusal to use any name other than Snapper’s given one, and she loved her little jabs at him even more.  “So, Kara Danvers, **_star_** beat reporter for the **_vaunted_** National City Tribune, please have a drink with me on the balcony.”

“Cat!  It’s 10:00 a.m.”  Cat’s eyes narrowed, brow furrowing as she removed her glasses.  Kara wilted.  “Not uhhh, not that I’m judging!”  She gulped.  “Well, I mean … I can’t imagine it would be a good idea to deny such a lovely request from the owner of my newspaper.”  Cat grabbed a bottle of what Kara—thanks to Lena’s influence—knew to be very nice scotch and two glasses.  Kara held the door to the balcony open for her, and they both took a seat.  Cat poured them both a drink.

“So, how did your girls react to the news?  I’m sure you texted them the minute you left Lucas’ office.”  Cat gave her a saucy look as she took a sip of her scotch.  Kara rolled her eyes.  Cat was a bit overly fascinated with the dynamics of Kara’s relationship, even if she was polite enough not to pry.

“They’re both super excited for me!  We’re all going out for dinner tonight, the whole family.” 

“Including the little one and the sister and her fiancée?”  Kara nodded enthusiastically.  “You know, Kara, it might be unorthodox, but you should be very proud of the family you’ve built for yourself.  God knows, I’ve made my fair share of mistakes in that arena, but it’s been a genuine pleasure watching you grow these past few years.”

Kara giggled.  “Betcha never guessed you’d be having drinks on your balcony with your 10:15 appointment back when I first applied to be your assistant.”

“Well, I **_could_** claim that I saw something in you, even back then, but I think we’re past that, you and I.  I’m not so vain that I can’t admit I was wrong in my initial impression.”  She took another sip of her whiskey, leaning back in her chair.  Cat Grant shared at least one peculiar skill with Lena, and that was that both women could make any chair seem like a throne simply by sitting in it.  “I know it will stay between us when I tell you that you’re one of the most extraordinary people I know, Kara Zor-El.”

Kara choked a little on her scotch.  “That’s hard to believe, Cat.  I mean, I know I’m Supergirl, but—”

“No, Kara.  Not Supergirl.  **_You._**   And you don’t **_get_** to question my judgment, Kara. You **_are_** extraordinary, and it has nothing to do with your **_extracurricular_** activities.  You’ve overcome more loss and trauma than I can even fathom, dropped onto an alien world with an alien culture, and despite all of that, you’ve blossomed here.  You managed to convince me to hire you as my assistant, you stuck around over two years in a job where the previous average shelf life was two months, and you climbed from there to the position of beat reporter in only a year, without a journalism degree or any prior experience.  You did all this on your own merits, through sheer determination and hard work.  And a certain amount of pluck, if it can even be called that.”  She shook her head dismissively, eying Kara’s attire in judgment.  “And to top it all off, you built yourself a new family that loves and supports you, including not one, but two, gorgeous girlfriends who both happen to be high-powered executives for a major multinational corporation.”

Warm tears began to well up in Kara’s eyes.  Cat had always supported her.  Had trained her and mentored her and made her into the woman she was today.  But she hadn’t realized that Cat felt this way about her.  “Thank you, Cat.  But I wouldn’t be half the woman I am today without your guidance.  You’ve been the best mentor a girl could have hoped for, human or not.”

Cat smiled and shrugged lightly, clearly pleased to hear Kara say aloud what Cat already knew to be true.  “You’re damn right.  And don’t you forget it.”  She stood and walked to the balcony.  Kara knew that her sudden relocation included a tacit command to follow her, so she did.  Cat’s gazed out over the city, and Kara leaned forward on the balcony beside her.  It was a beautiful sunny morning in National City.  Cat’s eyes stayed firmly focused on the view as she said softly, “So, you never gave me the full story on what happened with your adopted father.  I got the sense that there was a lot more to it than you could share with CatCo.”

Kara took another sip of scotch, suddenly quite cognizant of the fact that it had no effect on her, even if Lena had taught her to appreciate the taste.  Midvale had been healing, and her family had coalesced there in a beautiful way that Kara couldn’t have imagined.  But that didn’t mean that Lena’s kidnapping and Jeremiah’s death weren’t still fresh wounds.

“I trust that this is off the record?”  Cat waved her hand dismissively.  “Okay.  So … Lena was kidnapped by her mother the night before.”  Cat reacted viscerally, her eyes wide with shock as she turned to Kara.  “Yeah.”  Kara frowned, a hint of the panic she had felt that night springing back into her chest.  “Sam and I spent the entire night and into the morning searching the city for her, unsuccessfully.  I was out of my mind with worry.”

“Kara, forgive me for interrupting, but what does Lillian Luthor have to do with your father?” 

“Oh Rao!  Yeah, I guess you don’t really know about that backstory either.  Jeremiah had been a prisoner of Cadmus for over a decade.  We thought he was dead for most of that, but the DEO has come close to getting him back twice.  Anyways, when we finally tracked down the Cadmus base where Lillian had taken Lena, he was there.  But Lillian had replaced most of his body with cyborg parts, and she was able to control him.  Sam was able to get Lena to safety, but Lillian used Jeremiah against us.  We defeated Cadmus and even captured a number of their agents, but Lillian …”  Kara drew in a deep, steadying breath, holding back tears.  She looked away from Cat, back out over the city she had sworn to protect.

Kara felt Cat’s hand on her back, rubbing soft and soothing patterns that did wonders for calming Kara’s mind.  “She rigged him with explosives.  Alex and I had time to say our goodbyes, but we couldn’t save him.  I … I s-stayed with him until the end.”  The tears finally became too much for her to hold back.  Cat set her glass down and pulled Kara into a hug.  She didn’t cry long, but it felt refreshing to get the story off of her chest with someone who hadn’t lived it.

“How is Alex handling it?” 

Kara felt her face break out into a wide smile.  “Surprisingly well.  I think she was able to come to terms with all her conflicted feelings about Jeremiah at his memorial service.  And she got engaged the next day, so there’s that.”  Kara chuckled.

“Well well, isn’t that nice?  Her fiancée is the cop, right?”

“ ** _Detective_** , yes.”

“That’s quite the pairing then.  Have they set a date?  I assume I can expect my save the date sometime soon?”  Kara shot her an exasperated look. 

“Caaaat.  They haven’t set a date yet, and while there hasn’t been any real planning yet, I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a pretty small affair.  Which means no celebrity guests.”  Kara knew it would soften the blow a little for Cat to know that Kara still thought of her as a celebrity. 

“That is **_quite_** the disappointment.  I trust that when you and my favourite Luthor tie the knot, I’ll have a front row seat?”  Kara’s words caught in her throat, a blush rising to her cheeks.  “Ooooo, we haven’t had any conversations about possible nuptials, have we?”

“Noo,” Kara replied, almost petulantly.  “It’s not … I mean, it’s not like I wouldn’t.  But things are complicated by Sam, you know?”

“Ah yes, I suppose bigamy is still illegal in the state of California.”

Kara’s brow furrowed in confusion.  “Bigamy?”

“That’s legalese for marriage to more than one person.”  Cat finished off her scotch, and Kara followed suit.  “Well, dear, congrats to your sister, but trust me, marriage isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.  You and your girlfriends should make your own lives, and I’m sure those Luthor lawyers can make sure the girl is plenty protected.  Just …”  Cat paused, as if concerned about whether she should say what she was thinking.  Kara tilted her head in question.

“Be careful, is all.  Your secret identity is a precious thing, and I’m sure you’re aware of how precarious a disguise glasses and a ponytail are.  I’m not aware of any members of the press who have discovered your … **_controversial_** lifestyle, but that could change at any moment.  And … the world figuring out that Supergirl is secretly Kara Danvers, star reporter is one thing.  The world figuring out that Supergirl is a gay—”

“Pansexual,” Kara corrected.

Cat rolled her eyes and continued, “ ** _Queer_** , polyamorous woman with a quasi-step-daughter and a married lesbian sister, that’s a whole different ballgame.  And that’s without even getting into the complication that is the Luthor name.”

Kara wanted to be angry, but Cat was just trying to look out for her.  She hated the idea that her love and happiness could be a detriment in any way, especially to her mission as Supergirl.  Still … Cat had a point.  Kara could already imagine the hate that she would get.  That her family would have to suffer through.  “I’ll think about it.  And talk to Sam and Lena… and Alex, about it.”

“It’s disgusting that you even have to worry about it, but trust me, public image can be a powerful thing.  And like it or not, Supergirl is a massive celebrity in her own right.  I’m sorry, Kara.  But you have to be careful.”  She gave her a sympathetic look, then smiled her brightest Cat Grant smile.  Something few people were lucky enough to see outside of a televised interview.  “But today is a day for celebration, not concern.  I’ve got high hopes for you, Kara Danvers.  You have earned this, and I trust that you will continue to show that cur of a boss you work for how wrong he was about you.  Don’t let me down.”

Cat led her back into the office.  “You know I won’t, Cat.”  And then Kara strolled out of the office confidently, and she could picture the look of pride that was surely on Cat’s face at such a bold exit.

The rest of her day was pretty uneventful, other than the occasional coworker coming by to congratulate her as the news spread around the office.  Alex showed up around four, armed with a bright smile, chocolates, and a cupcake.  “Knock knock, I’m looking for Beat Reporter Kara Danvers.”

“Get in here, dummy.  Gimme those chocolates.”  Kara made grabby hands, and Alex set the sweets on her desk.  Kara got to work enjoying her cupcake.

“Seriously, Kar, I’m so damn proud of you.  I know how hard you’ve worked for this.” 

Kara finished off the sweets in record time, then grabbed her purse and stood up.  “Thanks Alex.  But from now until we get to dinner, everything is all about you now.  Let’s get going!”

“Okay, Lena gave you the address for that ring shop?”

“Oh Alex.  I don’t need the address.  The jewelry store’s owner, Dana, is an old friend of Lena’s.  I know where the store is.”  The were the only ones in the elevator on the way down.

“Sorry, sorry.  I forgot you and your girlfriend are all fancy now, with all your connections all over town.”  Alex’s tone was mocking, but only jokingly so.

“Rude!  I’ll have you know, Dana is awesome, as is her wife Lara, and the store specializes in queer clientele, and she is a friend **_not_** a ‘connection,’ and I will not stand for this sort of nonsense talk—”

“Kara!”  She had kept talking as they left the elevator and well into the lobby.  “Breathe!  I was wrong, **_clearly_**.  So let’s go see your super cool friend Dana, so she can get me a ring for Maggie to match mine.”  They hopped on Alex’s motorcycle, which was often the fastest form of non-flying transportation in the traffic of National City.  They were at the jewelry store in no time, and Dana greeted them at the door.  (Kara had called ahead to let her know they were coming.)

“Alex!  So nice to meet you!  Your fiancée is so lovely.”

“Thanks, Dana!  Yeah, I like her just fine.” 

“Oh, I **_bet_** you do.”  Dana wasn’t fazed by Alex’s sarcasm in the least.  “So!  Are you sure that you want Maggie’s to match yours?  Kara said that was the plan, but there are plenty of other options if you’re feeling feisty.” 

Alex and Kara exchanged a look, and Kara could sense the hesitation.  It was amazing how Alex could be scarily confident and brave in a fight, but when it came to everyday activities she wasn’t used to, she could be such a baby.  But Kara had anticipated this and was ready to push as necessary.  “Alex, the nice lady asked you a question.” 

“Sorry.  Yes, umm, Dana.  I’m pretty sure.  It’s just that I really love Maggie, and I had kinda thought that I would be the one to propose, and I already had part of a plan together when Maggie sprung hers on me.  And so now, I just feel a little bit of pressure to make sure everything is perfect, because Maggie deserves perfect, you know?”  From the look on Dana’s face, Kara could tell her heart was warmed just as much as Kara’s was.

“Sweetie, of course she does.  And don’t worry about it.  You are in good hands.  It is literally my business to help people find their perfect.  So, for starters, before Maggie proposed, when you were thinking about your own proposal, what sort of ring did you imagine?”

Alex paused, thinking.  “Well… actually, I really didn’t think about the ring too much.  It was more about the plan of action.”  Kara narrowed her eyes, curious about Alex’s peculiar choice of words.  But Dana didn’t flinch.

“Even better.  Let’s try this: think about you and Maggie on your wedding day, holding hands as you say your vows.  Do your engagement rings match?”

“Yeah!  I think they do!  Except for the stones.”  Alex was grinning, as if she could really picture it.  “Maggie’s are blue.”

“Blue we can do.  Are you thinking of a lighter blue or a darker blue?”

“I think lighter, but not too light.  Really umm… vivid?  I don’t want them to blend in with the diamonds.”

“I feel ya.  Let me grab a few different options for you, and we’ll see what you think.”  Dana got to work, and Alex turned to Kara.

“You’re absolutely sure that Lena doesn’t mind paying for our rings?”  Alex had balked at the idea when Maggie told her.  She didn’t love depending on people, especially financially.

“Alex, come on.  How many times do we have to have this argument?  Lena has so much money, and you are family.  She loves you and Maggie, and she wants your engagement and marriage to be perfect.  This is how she can help.  Please don’t feel bad about letting her.”

“Okay.  If you’re sure.”  There was still a bit of concern in Alex’s eyes, but she conceded the point.  Dana came up with a tray of loose gems.

“I’ve got an assortment of sapphires and blue diamonds, as well as a couple of aquamarines.”  Alex immediately pointed to one near the center of the tray.  It was a sort of cobalt blue, somewhere between royal and cerulean, and apparently every bit as vivid as Alex had imagined.

“That is absolutely the right one.  Get me four of those and stick them in a ring.”  Alex was so enthusiastic, and it was adorable.

“You’re in luck.  Or it’s fate.  Take your pick.  But I happen to have four of these sapphires in stock right now.  If you give me about an hour, I can get these set in the ring and ready for you tonight.”  Kara shouldn’t have been surprised; Dana was a consummate professional and incredible at her job.  Alex was dumbfounded though.

“How did you—”

“Have the setting ready already?”  Dana smiled knowingly.  “Lena gave me the heads up on Maggie’s ring size, and Kara had already told me you would probably want a matching setting, so I had it ready to go.  I’m very good at what I do.”

“Yes, you are.”  Alex glanced at her watch.  “Kar, we’ve still got plenty of time before dinner, you mind waiting?”

“I told you, this is your time.  We will absolutely wait.” 

Dana interjected.  “You are more than welcome to hang out here, but you absolutely don’t have to.  I can shoot Kara a text when the ring is ready if you want to roam about for a while.  There’s a great coffee place down the street and a tiny chic little art gallery next door.  My neighbors are all pretty awesome, really.”

“Coffee and art?  I’m in if you are.”  Alex grinned in response.

“Let’s do it!”  She turned to Dana.  “Thank you so much.  You really are incredible.  I see now why Kara and Lena love you.  I was pretty nervous about this, and you made it so simple.”

“It was my pleasure, Alex.  Now, you two go enjoy yourselves, and Maggie’s ring will be ready in no time.”  She shooed them towards the door.

“We’re going, we’re going.  But you and Lara are coming over for dinner next week, right?  Lena is super nervous.”  That was actually underselling it a little.  Lena dabbled in cooking, but she was flat out terrifying of cooking for a professional chef like Lara. 

“We’ll be there!  And tell Lena not to worry; Lara is not one of those judgy chefs.  Plus we’re stoked to see the penthouse finally.”  Alex was pulling her towards the door now.

“Okay great!  Thanks Dana!  See ya soooooon!”  Then they were out the door and into the warm sunlight.


	43. Dinner, with a little too much dessert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara's celebratory dinner, wherein Lena gets a little too frisky.

** Chapter 43 **

Lena had outdone herself yet again.  Kara’s face when the hostess walked them back to the private dining room Lena had reserved was absolutely priceless.  The mere sight of Kara’s joy was outrageously contagious, at least as far as Sam was concerned.  As asked, Lena had found somewhere where Kara hadn’t been yet, but that she knew Kara would love.  They were in a fancy Japanese place west of downtown that featured Zashiki-style seating and what Sam had to assume was exorbitantly priced sushi.  But fuck it; they were celebrating.

The long, low table featured three seats on each side, and through some quirk of how they had entered the room, Sam found herself between Lena and Ruby, facing Kara, Alex, and Maggie on the other side of the table.  They were all seated on the floor, in these adorable legless padded chairs.  Under the table, the floor dropped about six inches, in two shallow steps, allowing them to actually extend their legs under the table if they so desired.  Needless to say, Kara was very impressed, and that was before the food arrived.

“Lee, this was a hell of a choice.  I’m not normally a sake girl, but this stuff is great.”  She took another sip of the sake glass that the waiters were diligently making sure was never empty. 

“Ditto on that, Li’l Luthor.  This shit is dope!”  Sam rolled her eyes at Maggie, whose phrasing was always oh so delicate.  “Sorry, Sam, should I not be saying ‘shit’ around the kiddo?”

“I’ve heard people say ‘shit’ before, Maggie,” Ruby was swift to correct.  “It’s just a word, right Mom?”

“Right, but it’s all about context.”

“Shoulda known you’d be the cool mom type, Sam.”  Maggie smiled that bright dimpled smile that was so very captivating, even to an outside observer.

“Hear that, Rubes?  At least one person thinks I’m a cool mom.”

“That’s because Maggie hasn’t seen you trying to sing and dance in nothing but a towel.”  Sam choked on her sake, face heating up as she blushed wildly.

“Wait wait wait, hold on,” Kara sputtered.  “How come I haven’t seen this routine?  Sam, have you been holding out on me?”

Normally, Sam was quite comfortable being the center of attention, but this was another thing entirely.  She didn’t love everyone picturing her in nothing but a towel, singing and dancing.  Which she was well aware she was, you know, not great at.  “Uhhh, I think one terrible drunken duet with your overly intimidating angelic voice was enough for me, babe.  Not looking for a repeat performance.  But you’re welcome to come over and sing and dance for us in a towel anytime you want.”

“Sam, stop leering at my sister, at least while I’m around, okay?”

“Alex, I can’t help that I am insanely attracted to your gorgeous, incredible, insanely sexy sister.  You’re just gonna have to deal.”  Sam stuck her tongue out at Alex, who responded by flipping her off.

“Alex Danvers!  There are children present!”  Maggie scolded, winking at Sam and Ruby. 

“Maggie, we are supposed to be a team here.  Or does this ring mean nothing to you?”  Alex wiggled her left hand theatrically.

“Sorry, babe, but Sam’s got a point.  She’s not my type, but anyone with eyes can tell that Li’l Danvers is a total hottie.  I still love you, though.  100 percent Team Danvers over here.”

Lena cleared her throat dramatically.  “Well, if everyone is done objectifying Kara, I believe I invited you all here for a reason.  Which is to celebrate Kara’s career achievement, not her remarkable good looks.”  Kara’s face lit up, and the smile she directed at Lena was so full of love and affection.  The way Kara and Lena loved each other filled Sam with such warmth and joy.

Lena raised her sake glass, looking around the table as she waited for the rest of the group to join her.  “To Kara Danvers, whose hard work, diligence, and absolutely brilliant instincts and empathy have finally been rewarded with a promotion she has long deserved.  Kara you are almost as incredible a reporter as you are a partner, and that’s saying really a lot, actually.  I love you so much—we all do, in our own ways—and I have no doubt that this is just the beginning for you.  So, congratulations on this accomplishment.  To Kara!”

“To Kara!” came the unified response, and they all drank together.  Then the food arrived.  The experience of a waiter’s shock at the sheer amount of food Kara ordered was always entertaining as hell.  It also helped distract from the fact that Sam was ordering more food than ever herself, even if she restrained herself a bit when Ruby was around. 

As they all dug in, Ruby asked across the table, “So Kara, what’s different about your new job?”

Kara finished scarfing down the braised kakuni she was chewing on, then replied, “Well, it’s not really **_that_** different, not really.  I have a little more freedom to track down my own stories and trust my instincts, but really the biggest difference is that my focus will now be solely on alien issues.  Which is great, because that’s really where my passion is anyway.”

“She also has a bit more job security, I would imagine,” Sam added. 

“Pssssh,” Alex teased.  “The only job security Kara has ever needed is Cat Grant.”

“Aleeex!  That’s so not true.  Snapper has final say on hiring and firing decisions at the Tribune.”

“Oh yeah, suuuure.  Because Cat Grant’s not an egotistical control freak **_at all_**.”  Kara glared, and Alex winced just a little.  “Not that I mean that as a criticism!  I’m just saying … if Cat wants to overrule Snapper she **_will_** , and you know it.”

Lena weighed in.  “Plus, I’m pretty sure she has a giant crush on Kara, so her job was always safe, let’s be honest.”  Alex and Maggie chuckled knowingly, but Sam gasped in surprise.  This was new information.  “I mean, honestly, her primary response to finding out that we’re poly is to try her best to throw her own hat in the ring, so to speak.”

“Wait, what?  Cat Grant has a crush on **_our_** girlfriend, and neither of you thought to tell me?”

Kara sighed, and Sam could sense the heat rising into her cheeks.  “Sam. It. Is. **_Embarrassing._ **  Okay?”

“It’s still information you should share with me, dummy.”  Sam wasn’t really scolding Kara, though it hurt a little she had kept this from her.  “Especially when it comes to someone as **_hot_** as Cat Grant.”

Maggie chuckled.  “Not that I disagree, but Sam, it’s starting to sound like you think every lady is pretty hot, if we’re being honest here.”

“This is the thing you must know about Samantha; she is **_quite_** thirsty.”

“Hey!” Sam exclaimed, as she shoved Lena playfully.

Lena’s eyes glittered playfully as she jabbed a finger into Sam’s side in retaliation.  “Don’t deny what you know to be true, darling.”

Maggie interrupted, a curious look on her face.  “Aaaanyway, Kara you didn’t take Cat up on her, uhhh, offer?  Two girlfriends are your limit?”

Kara giggled awkwardly.  “I guess so?”  As the conversation continued, Lena snuck a casual touch, sliding the backs of her fingers lightly against the side of Sam’s thigh.  She managed to keep a neutral expression on her face, despite the tiny touch sending disproportionately strong shocks of pleasant feelings up and down her leg.

Alex grinned mischievously.  “Well, I know for a fact that Kara used to have a huge crush on Cat, so I guess I’m just curious what changed.”

Lena raised an eyebrow.  “Well this is new information to me.  Darling, aren’t you going to answer Alex’s question?”

“Really, Lena?”

Sam couldn’t resist piling on.  “It’s a fair question, Blondie.  Don’t hold out on us.”

Her sly rejoinder drew laughter from Maggie, but then the voice to her right came to Kara’s defense.  “Mom, leave Kara alone.  It’s her night, not her night to be teased relentlessly.” 

Kara’s smile to Ruby was almost blinding in its brilliance.  Sam threw an arm around Ruby.  “Rubes, I didn’t know you cared.  I’m kind of a fan of you defending my girlfriend.  Does this mean you mean wanna keep her around?”

“Yeah, Ruby, are we besties now?” Kara shouted from across the table, probably just a little too loudly.

“Ugh.  Both of you need to calm down.  I was just making a point about the reason for this dinner, not arguing you guys should get married or anything.”

The word ‘married’ instantly struck Sam, Kara, and Lena completely silent, so Alex took it upon herself to avoid the awkwardness.  “I think Ruby makes an excellent point.  Sorry for bringing it up, Kar.  Tonight is about your accomplishments, not your crushes.”

“Here here!” agreed Lena, the impish tone in her voice not lost on Kara, who crinkled her forehead in that adorable way she did when she was frustrated, but not too frustrated.  Sam decided this was the perfect time to fuck with Lena, when she was trying to play it all cool and mess with Kara.  She cautiously placed a hand, after checking to be sure no one could notice, on Lena’s leg, found that spot that tickled Lena so, and squeezed, subtly but firmly.  Lena jumped, just a little, before getting control of herself.  Sam didn’t relent though, and she could see the strain that Lena tried to hide.

Kara eyed them suspiciously, clearly aware there was something going on.  Sam found this delicious.  Lena, in an effort to covertly beg that she stop, glanced over at her and bit her lip.  Just a little.  Her eyes shone with a very clear plea for mercy.  Sam grinned wickedly, then withdrew her hand and turned casually back to her plate, as if nothing had happened.  She tuned back into what Maggie was saying.

“Babe, tell them about what Winn **_made_** you for an engagement present.”  Her emphasis on ‘made,’ as opposed to ‘bought’ or ‘gave,’ was a curious choice in verbiage, and Alex’s face lit up in a way Sam had only seen maybe a couple of time.  Instantly, Sam was captivated.  So of course, that’s precisely when Lena’s retaliation came.  As Alex began to explain, Lena’s hand found its way onto the inside of Sam’s thigh.  She could sense Lena glance over at Ruby at the same time Sam did, checking to be sure she was just as captivated by Alex’s story.  Sam didn’t move to stop Lena but did rest her right arm on her leg so as to hide Lena’s hand from Ruby’s view.

“So, Winn took me aside right before we were about to deploy for a mission I was leading.  Said he had finally finished it, and I nearly punched him because he was kind of ranting on and on vaguely, without telling me what ‘it’ was.”  Sam was legitimately curious about this gift, but Lena’s hand was slowly and surely making its way up Sam’s leg in the most amazing way.  Dividing her attention between listening to Alex, enjoying Lena’s torture, and keeping a straight face was a tremendous challenge.

“And just as I’m about to snap at him, he calls me the best, most badass DEO agent, and I’m sure I’m gonna have to punch him or something.  Then he opens this big ole metal briefcase and pulls out a new suit.”  Lena’s hand was now as far up her thigh as it would go, the side of it resting firmly against the heat between Sam’s legs.  “This thing is gorgeous, on the same level as Supergirl and Power Girl.”

“Does it have a cape?” Ruby asked, voice filled with enthusiasm.

“Nope!  But I’m not a flyer, so no need for one.  It’s all black, with plenty of leather accents, and gloves with this fancy system of magnets that I can use to summon my guns if they ever get knocked from my grip.”  Alex’s smile was as wide as Sam had ever seen it.  It was a sight so wonderful it could almost distract from the fact that Lena was now moving her hand in slow, firm rocking motions between Sam’s thighs.  “And the guns!  Winn worked with a couple of the guys in munitions to create two new guns for me, based on some of the alien tech we’ve acquired this past year.  They’re small, but sexy as hell.  And they pack one hell of a punch.”

Alex never seemed happier than when she was talking about guns.  It was almost scary.  Sam admired how terrifying Alex could be, even in moments of sheer joy.  She clamped down on the wave of pleasure that threatened to shudder through her body.  “And so he told me that he had always thought I was deserving of a cool suit, which I mean, duh.  I’m certainly more deserving than James fucking Olsen.  Sorry Ruby!  That was rude of me.”

“I’ve heard worse from Mom and Lena, don’t worry.”  Lena’s hand stopped its movements as they both reacted dramatically to Ruby’s accusation.  She was right, but they couldn’t just ignore Sam’s darling girl.  That wouldn’t be any fun.

“Oh.  Well I suppose that’s not surprising.”  Alex leveled an oddly skeptical, almost questioning look at Sam and Lena.  Then she continued.  “But you guys, I have never felt so badass and powerful than I did in this suit.  That tiny wonderful little man gave me the best present I could’ve ever imagined.”

Lena was back to work, and now Kara was staring intently at Lena’s hand, **_through_** the table.  Sam almost grabbed Lena’s hand to make her stop, but Lena just grinned mischievously at Kara and winked.  Kara’s eyes told Sam she was intrigued, and a little turned on, by the brazen display, and so Sam allowed it to keep going.  On a whim, she whispered, so softly that no one but Kara could possible hear, “Baby, I am trying so hard to keep my cool here, but Lena is driving me wild with desire right now.”

Kara’s eyes went wide, only for the briefest of moments.  Sam was terrified of coming in front of everyone.  She didn’t trust her ability to control herself.  She glanced over at Lena, eyes pleading that she stop.  Sam was the most powerful person on the planet, and yet she couldn’t bring herself to stop Lena.  She wanted Lena to grant her mercy.  To release her of her own volition.  She whispered again, “Kara, I’m about to come in front of everyone, and I am so not ready to try and hide that. **_Please_**.”

Kara immediately put a hand on Lena’s and said, “I’ve got to run to the ladies’ room.  Lena, will you come with me?”  Lena’s hand stopped immediately.  Sam was sure the conversation had continued around her this entire time, but she had focused on her food and her sake, so she didn’t have to maintain the focus that participation in such conversation would require.  Lena gave one last casual flick against Sam’s center with her pinky, then stood with Kara. 

“Of course, darling.”  She walked around the table to link arms with Kara as they left the room, turning her head as she left to raise the most enticing eyebrow ever at Sam, sending an additional lingering thrill through her body.  They left the room, but Sam’s superhearing followed them.

“Lena, you can’t just **_do_** that to her in public, around our entire family.  What did you think would happen if you had taken that to its logical conclusion?”

“Honestly, darling, I was just kind of acting on impulse there.  I didn’t really think it through.  Probably good that you stopped me.  I’m terribly sorry.  This is your night.  I shouldn’t have done that.  I just—”  Lena sighed.  “Lately I just get so carried away when it comes to Sam.  There’s this … there’s no other word for it but **_gravity_** between us, and it is so difficult to resist.  I got carried away.  I’m so sorry.”

“Lena, it’s fine.  I was actually really enjoying the show.  But you have to pay more attention to how Sam is feeling.  She was terrified that you were going to humiliate her in front of our entire family, but she was too—I don’t know—captivated or aroused or something to stop you.”  Kara paused, but Lena didn’t respond.  “Just … I’m beyond happy that **_something_** is developing between you two, even if it is as sexy as it is confusing, but you **_need_** to stay in touch with each other’s feelings, okay?  You’ve both been through a lot the past few months, and it doesn’t help either of you to get lost in this new sexual connection without being open about your feelings.”

“You’re right, of course.  I’ll try to be better.  But you have to admit, she was entirely too hot today, right?”

Kara giggled.  “Yes, Sam is beyond gorgeous in that suit.  But that’s no excuse.  If you want to torment her, in a way that she **_clearly_** enjoys, wait until you’re in private.  And if you wanted to invite me at some point, I of course would not say no.”  Sam couldn’t keep the smile off of her face, even as she made the effort to get back into conversation with the people still seated at the table. 

“Ruby, did you tell Alex and Maggie about your recent accomplishments?”  She smiled at her daughter, whose face instantly lit up as she literally bounced in excitement.  Alex and Maggie turned their gaze to her expectantly. 

“I made all-region in my choir tryouts!  Now I get to try out for all-state!!”  Ruby could barely contain her excitement.

“That’s incredible, kiddo!” Alex responded immediately.  “Your mom must be so proud.”

“What can I say, my girl is an incredible singer.  I have no clue how that happened, as you both learned at the holiday party.” 

“Oh come on, Sammy, you’re not **_that_** bad,” Maggie consoled.  “Anyone could sound bad compared to Li’l Danvers.”

“ ** _Anyways_** ,” Alex cajoled.  “Ruby, that’s great.  Congratulations!  So when are all-state tryouts?”

“They’re in early April!  Fortunately, they’re in National City, so I don’t have to travel or anything.”  Kara and Lena returned just as Ruby was finishing.

“What’s in National City?” Lena asked, taking her seat beside Sam.  As she turned to listen to Ruby’s answer, she casually placed a hand on Sam’s back, rubbing it gently in what was very clearly an apology for getting carried away.  Sam smiled warmly at her, then Ruby explained for Kara and Lena.

“The all-state choir try outs.”  Ruby had already told Kara, who had told Lena, so this wasn’t news to them.  Nevertheless, Lena leaned over Sam’s plate to look Ruby right in the eyes when she responded.

“Kara told me about your recent success, young Ruby.  She was quite impressed with you, as am I.  How are you feeling about the competition?”

Ruby grinned.  She loved being treated like an adult, ‘young’ comment aside, since it was a term of endearment only Lena used.  “I really don’t know.  I’m only a freshman, so I’m lucky to have even qualified.  I don’t expect to make all-state, not this year, anyway.”

“Well, there’s nothing wrong with being realistic, but I believe in you.” Kara’s voice was pure sunshine.  “You and I are both kicking butt lately, huh?”

“Kara, you’re like the only person at this table who would use the phrase ‘kicking butt,’ but that’s pretty cool, I guess.”  Sam was so happy about how well her girls got along.

Kara glanced down at her empty plates and looked around the room questioningly.  “Lena, where’s the waiter?  Shouldn’t they have brought the dessert menu by now?”  The entire table was completely unsurprised, but nevertheless burst into uproarious laughter.

~~~~

Lena got the text right as she and Kara were walking into the door of the penthouse.  She stopped to read it, but Kara—who was beyond tired from a very wonderful, but long, day—continued on to the bedroom at faster than human speed.  Lena raised an eyebrow at the text, which was from Maggie.

[9:31 p.m.]  **Holy shit Lena wtf is going on with you and Sam?  Does Kara know?  You were NOT subtle tonight, just fyi.**

Lena blushed, but only a little.  She wasn’t exactly surprised, but given what Kara had already told her, she felt bad about how brazen she had been.  _Shit.  Guess the cat’s out of the bag now._   “Hey Kara?”

“Yeah?” came the less than enthusiastic response from the bedroom.  Lena grinned.  Poor Kara was so tired.  Lena shut off the lights in the apartment and joined Kara in the bedroom.  She was unsurprised to find her hero was already in bed, having gone through her nightly routine at superhero speeds.  “So Maggie just texted me.”

“Oh yeah?” was the lackadaisical response.

“Yeah, she thought Sam and I were being far from subtle in our flirtations tonight.”

“Oh crap!”  Kara shot up in bed.

“I mean, we had to let people know at some point, right?”  Lena shrugged.  “I just feel bad, still, that I let things get a little out of hand.  Thank you again, darling, for reining me in.”

Kara smiled sleepily.  “What are girlfriends for?”

“Well … not that exactly, not for most couples, I imagine.  But for me, you’re absolutely perfect.”  Lena had been walking towards the bed, and now she leaned down and kissed Kara softly.  “You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me, Kara Zor-El.”  Kara immediately kissed her back, smiling wildly.  “Now you go to sleep.  I’m just gonna respond to Maggie, and check in with Sam, then I’ll be in bed, okay?”

Kara mumbled her acceptance of this plan, already half asleep.  Lena headed into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth, typing out a quick response to Maggie on her way.

[9:34 p.m.]    **Ugh, you caught us.  Sam and I are … something.  We’re still figuring it out.  But things are going well, and Kara is our most enthusiastic supporter.**

She shot off a quick text to Sam before she sat her phone down to wash her face.

[9:35 p.m.]    **Hey you.  Sorry I let things get a bit *ahem* out of hand tonight.  But it was thrilling, wasn’t it?  Anywho.  Turns out we weren’t all that subtle, and Maggie is asking about us.  Guess the cat’s out of the bag?**

Lena washed her face and brushed her teeth.  It wasn’t until she reached for the floss that she heard the phone buzz.  It was Sam.

[9:40 p.m.]    **You’re a terrible tease, Lee.  We need to find some alone time soon.  Or invite Kara if you want, that could be fun too.  Maggie wasn’t the only one who noticed.  Ruby gave me the third degree on the way home, which was oh so wonderful since she’s still nursing that crush on you.  Then Alex texted me about it, so there’s no doubt Sanvers have been discussing our scandalous behavior tonight.**

Lena giggled.  She couldn’t deny that she kinda liked being found out in this way.

[9:41 p.m.]    **What did you tell Ruby?**

The response was immediate.

[9:41 p.m.]    **I told her that you and I are more than friends, but that it’s really new and we haven’t figured everything out yet.  But that Kara was fully in the loop and supportive, and that the three of us were happy to talk to her about it if she had any concerns.  What did you tell Maggie?**

Lena finished flossing before responding.

[ 9:42 p.m.]   **More or less the same.  That it’s new and we’re figuring it out and Kara is our biggest supporter.  I also apologized for being so brazen.  I don’t suppose you overheard Kara scolding me when we ‘went to the bathroom’?**

She peed, then finished removing her clothes and putting on her usual silk shorts and camisole.  Then she read Sam’s response.

[ 9:44 p.m.]    **OH COME ON.  Of course I listened in on that.  I’m the one who made sure Kara saved me, not that I couldn’t have broken your hand with my fucking thigh, just so we’re clear.  You drive me crazy, Lee.  But yeah, I heard it.  And as usual, she made excellent points.  You should listen to our girl.  But I’m beat.  Going to bed now.  Night, dummy.**

Lena grinned, then typed out a quick goodnight.  Then she turned off the light in the bathroom and padded softly to her side of the bed.  She snuggled up to Kara’s already fast asleep form, then just as she was reaching to plug her phone in for the night, it buzzed with another text message.  From Maggie.

[ 9:52 p.m.]   **Damn Luthor. GET. IT.  But for real, I trust that you’re being careful with your heart, and Sam’s.  No need to rush.  But good for you.**

She smiled and breathed a soft sigh of contentment as she plugged her phone in, then settled in.  Lena knew she was going to sleep incredibly well tonight.


	44. Kara and Lena and Sam, oh my

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A night of cuddles leads to something a bit steamier for our favourite throuple, then later wedding planning begins in earnest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, fine. We're nearly 200,000 words in. I figured I would finally give you what you wanted. :P
> 
> Second, I couldn't resist writing Chyler's new haircut into this, because I've spent all weekend freaking out about everything Chyler. 
> 
> Enjoy!

** Chapter 44 **

With Ruby spending the night at a friend’s, Sam, Kara, and Lena were taking advantage of a night free of any parenting duties to get in some serious three-way cuddling.  They were currently situated as a three-headed pile of limbs sharing a very large, very comfy fleece blanket.  None of them was wearing pants any longer—Kara insisted that it would be more comfortable without them—and Kara was in the middle.  She was leaning on Lena, with a hand comfortably on her thigh, while her legs were intertwined with Sam’s on the other side.  Lena was playing with Kara’s hair without thinking too much about it.  Sam had an arm around Kara, and her hand was stroking subtle patterns against Lena’s forearms.  Lena couldn’t remember the last time she felt this at ease.  It was wonderful.

Kara had insisted on watching _Frozen_ again, and Lena hadn’t had the heart to argue.  She didn’t really care what they watched, if she was being perfectly honest.  Sam grabbed the remote (or maybe it only seemed that way to Lena) and paused the movie just as Elsa was about to open the castle to the public again for the first time since she was a girl.  “So, what is this dinner about tomorrow?”

Kara hummed as Lena’s hand hit a particularly good spot, then asked, “What do you mean?  It’s obviously about the wedding.”

Sam rolled her eyes.  “Yeah, no shit, Sherlock.  I meant, why did they invite all three of us?  You two are clearly the maids of honour or whatever they choose to call that position, but why invite me?”

“Obviously, you’re going to be the flower girl, darling,” Lena joked.  Sam flicked her arm in retaliation, and Lena winced.  “Fuck, that actually hurt!  Kara, you’ve gotta teach Samantha to be more gentle with us mere mortals.”

Instantly, Sam was leaning forward, looking across Kara at Lena with legitimate concern in her eyes.  “Lee, are you serious?  I’m sorry!  I guess I’m still getting used to my strength, even now.”

“It’s alright, love.  Though it’d probably be better if Kara kissed it.”  Kara reached behind her head and pulled Lena’s arm forward tenderly.  There was a small welt, slowly bruising just a little, where Sam had flicked her. 

“Oh no, you poor baby!”  Kara kissed it delicately.  “You want me to grab some ice?”

“Oh please, it’s just a small bruise.  It’ll be fine.”  Sam looked guilty, so Lena assured her, “Believe me, darling, I don’t mind a bruise here and there, but in the future, let’s have more **_enjoyable_** reasons for them.”  Sam’s eyes flashed with recognition at Lena’s insinuation, and Kara chuckled.

“Rao, you two are impossible.  Do you ever think about anything other than sex?”

Sam grinned impishly.  “Well, I **_was_** trying to talk about dinner tomorrow.”

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it, baby.  They probably want you involved in the planning to some extent.  You’re good friends with Alex, and you’re important to both of us.  We’ll see.  Regardless, just be prepared.”

“For?” Sam asked.  Kara pressed back into Lena a bit more, wiggling until she found the perfect spot, and the blanket covering the three of them slipped a little.  Sam began to stroke Kara’s now exposed leg. 

“Alex is getting a haircut tonight, and she said it’s going to be very short.  Still purple though.”  Kara raised her eyebrows as if this was some dramatic news.  Neither Sam nor Lena was at all surprised.

“Man, Alex is really putting the rest of us to shame in the alternative lifestyle haircut game,” Sam grumbled cheerfully.

“You know, darling, you’d look pretty enticing with short hair yourself,” Lena offered.  “You could always wear a wig like Sam when you’re flying about.  Might help improve your … **_disguise_**.”  Sam snorted, then laughed, at the mocking way Lena said ‘disguise.’

“And how **_exactly_** do you propose I keep a wig on my head when flying around at Mach 2?” Kara asked, matching Lena’s mocking tone perfectly.

“Look, I’m just saying soft butch would look amazing on you.  Obviously, there would be logistical problems to work out.  Sam, I’m not wrong, am I?”

Sam smiled warmly.  “I think Kara Zor-El Danvers can pull off any look she chooses.”  Kara smiled back, brightly, but Lena furrowed her brow.

“Suck up.”  Lena faked a scornful look in Sam’s direction.  “Anyways, I am quite certain that Alex will look every bit the majestic gay that we all know her to be.  I am eager to see the new ‘do.”

“Okay but can we please get back to the movie now?”  Lena had no clue how Kara managed to make whining sound cute, but she supposed that being madly in love with the woman might have something to do with it.  Sam kissed her cheek, then pressed play, and they all settled back in.

The only other pause in the movie happened when Kara provoked Sam into a tickle fight, which Lena made damn sure she stayed completely out of.  One bruise was enough for the night.  Fuck, they were really cute though, all flailing limbs and contorted bodies, and Kara shrieking in delight and agony of the best sort.  They were so busy struggling with each other that neither of them noticed Lena filming them until she had a couple of minutes of footage.  Once Kara caught sight of Lena’s phone out, she got embarrassed and immediately demanded mercy from Sam.  Lena got them all new bottles of kombucha while the supers settled down, then they finished the movie.

As the movie wound down, they had all gotten decidedly handsier, and so once it was over, Lena brought up what was on all their minds.  “Hey so … should we have a conversation about sex?”

Kara grinned, then started humming what sounded suspiciously like Salt-N-Pepa’s _Let’s Talk About Sex_.  “Really, Kara?” Sam asked incredulously. 

“Face it, Sam, our girlfriend’s a massive dork.”

“Yeah, but that’s why you love me,” Kara prompted happily, then continued humming under her breath. 

“Lee, what is there to talk about?  Wouldn’t it be more fun to just, you know, figure it out as we go?”  Sam shot Lena an entirely too enticing and sultry look, and a very familiar warmth began pooling low in her gut.

“No.  Bad Sam.  Stop being so sexy.”  Kara laughed out loud, seemingly content to see where Lena and Sam took the conversation.  So, Lena continued.  “It’s kind of a big deal, don’t you think?”

“Is it?  It isn’t like we have all had tons of sex with each other already?”  Lena suspected Sam was stringing her along, that she actually agreed with Lena.  But she couldn’t be sure without actually having the conversation.

“No, not exactly.  We’ve all had tons of sex with each other **_in pairs_** , but we’ve never had sex all together.  It’s an entirely different dynamic, and while I am quite eager to experience said dynamic, I want to be sure that we’re all ready for it.”

“That’s very responsible of you, creampuff” Kara’s smile radiated through her voice.  “But what is it that we need to talk through, really?”

“Well, for starters, we can talk about how you two can have sex with each other no problem, but if I get in on that action and either of you get too into your normal routine, you could accidentally break all my fingers … **_for example_**.”  Lena gave them both a very pointed stare.  “And I know for a fact that you are both quite fond of the things I can do with my fingers.”

“So, yes, that is a legitimate concern.  Fair point, Lee.”  Sam smiled coyly, then leaned back until her head was resting in Kara’s lap.  She looked up at Lena, which should have been goofy as hell, but instead she reached up and softly took Lena’s hand, sliding a finger softly along her lips.  “I **_do_** quite enjoy these.”  She raised an eyebrow.  _Fuck, how is she making this sexy?_  “What if I promise to be gentle?”  The question came out sultry and full of intention.

Lena took a steadying breath, trying to keep her arousal at bay.  “You know it isn’t that simple, Sam.  You’re somehow both incredibly sexy and adorably funny, but please take this seriously.”  Sam sat up and took Lena’s hands in her own, Kara still between them.

“Lena.  I am taking this seriously.  And we don’t have to fuck tonight, I promise.  But Kara and I are both fairly accustomed to not breaking you during sex, and even if we didn’t have superpowers, I would suggest that we take things slowly our first time as a threesome regardless.  That way we can explore and keep in touch with each other, and **_most importantly_** , make sure we don’t break you.”  She smiled softly, and Lena felt safe again.

“I like the sound of that.”

“I do too, for the record.”  Kara said it as if she was just reminding them that she was still there. 

Sam ran a finger down the middle of Kara’s torso.  “Yeah, I bet you do.”  Lena felt Kara shudder just a little against her.  It was good to know that she wasn’t the only one on whom Sam had that effect. 

“Samantha.  It is really unfair how sexy you are.”  Sam faked a look as if she was surprised by this information.

“You know,” Kara interrupted.  “You’re one to talk, Lena.”  She dragged a finger along the top of Lena’s lacy forest green underwear.  “Have you **_seen_** yourself in these?”

 “I’m less concerned with how I look in them than I am with how your touch feels right now, if I’m being perfectly honest.”  In a heartbeat, Sam knelt on the ground next to her, a hand gently placed just above Kara’s and working its way slowly upward, pulling Lena’s sweatshirt with it.  Her body tensed at the additional touch, and Lena already felt like she was in heaven, just having these two women she adored touching her.  The skin-to-skin contact was intoxicating.

“Is this okay?” Kara checked in, and she and Sam both paused long enough for Lena to nod enthusiastically.  _No harm in seeing where this goes._ The wide neck of Kara’s slouchy tee gave Lena an excellent view, and Kara winked as she realized where Lena’s gaze was pointed.  Then she withdrew her hand and bent down, bring her lips to touch where her hand had been.  Sparks shot up and down Lena’s spine, and she hummed in delight at the sensation.  Meanwhile, Sam’s fingers were tracing patterns slowly up Lena’s side, soft enough that her touch felt incredible but firm enough that it didn’t tickle.

Lena chuckled.  “I could get used to this.”

“I knew you’d come around,” was Sam’s sly response.  Then she grabbed Lena’s sweatshirt with both hands and raised an eyebrow in question.  Lena raised her arms over her head, and the sweatshirt was off before she could blink.  She shivered a bit at the cool air on her breasts, so Sam smiled and slid a hand onto each of them.

“My hero,” Lena mumbled, almost too focused on the sensations her body was experiencing to make her usual quips.  Sam’s hands were wonderfully warm, and oh wow, Kara’s lips had moved up Lena’s hipbone.  Because of the way she was situated, her breasts grazed the tops of Lena’s thighs just enough, stiff nipples tactile through the soft fabric of her shirt.  Kara pulled away a little, tracing Lena’s tattoo softly. 

“Should we take this back to the bedroom?”  Lena hesitated, and that immediately drew a mischievous glint to Sam’s eye.  She leaned in, eyes never leaving Lena’s, and pressed her lips firmly to Lena’s breast.  Her tongue traced a purposeful circle around Lena’s nipple, then her teeth closed gently but firmly and tugged just enough to drive Lena insane.  A moan escaped her lips.

It was too much.  Insecurities aside, Lena knew that she wanted this.  Wanted it **_badly_**.  She whispered, “Take me there.”  She honestly couldn’t say which of her superpowered ladies picked her up, but there was a quick breeze and she was tossed onto the bed.  She pushed herself back against the pillows and headrest.  Kara was next to her, and Sam was on her knees by Lena’s feet.  Kara planted a soft kiss to Lena’s lips, then turned to Sam.

“Let’s get this off of you,” Kara practically growled as she slid over and pulled Sam’s tank top off of her, bra quickly following.  Lena was content to just watch them touch each other, tender but hungry looks splashed across their faces.  A thought occurred to her.

“New rule: no superspeed.”  Sam turned from Kara to raise an eyebrow at Lena.  “I want to see **_everything_**.”  Lena was feeling more confident now and was happy to make sure her girls knew what she wanted. 

Sam barely kept herself from laughing at the inside joke as she cheekily responded, “Sure thing, **_boss_**.”  A soft whimper came beside them, and they turned to see Kara staring at them wide-eyed.  She blushed at the sudden attention and offered a quiet explanation.

“Sorry that was really hot, you are both really hot and topless and I’m fine, this is fine, don’t mind me.”  Lena giggled, then reached over and placed her hand against Kara’s chest, pressing her to the bed.

“Oh, believe me, darling.  We intend to **_fully_** mind you.”  Kara whimpered again, and it was simultaneously sexy and adorable.  Sam was suddenly at her side, hand gliding up Kara’s bare leg.

“Kara, you’re not gonna get too overwhelmed too quickly now, are you?”  Kara gave them another couple seconds of wide-eyed glancing back and forth, then seemingly flipped a switch.  She bit her lip, then leaned in and kissed Sam in this drawn out, languid way that did nothing to quell the heat building between Lena’s legs.  Lena carefully reached out a hand to stroke Kara’s thigh, hesitating for a second because she didn’t want to give Kara a reason to stop kissing Sam.  But she couldn’t resist, and while Kara hummed a little at Lena’s touch, she continued to kiss Sam passionately.  Lena enjoyed the show, but allowed her hand to roam a little, moving up Kara’s thigh, along her hip (she loved the way Kara’s body tensed subtly as she traced her hip bone), and then under Kara’s shirt.

As Sam pulled away from Kara, she turned her head and leaned over, so close her nose was nearly touching Lena’s.  “Is this good so far?”  Lena answered by leaning in the rest of the way and taking Sam’s lower lip between her teeth, for just a moment, before pecking her on the lips and moving her head back teasingly. 

“Quite.”  This was apparently too much for Sam to take, and she jumped onto Lena.  She was clearly careful to stick to the no superspeed rule, though, and her attention to Lena’s wishes made her want Sam that much more.  Sam kissed her roughly, ravenously even, and Lena returned her passion fully.  As Sam straddled her, Lena could feel the desire coursing through her, and Lena gripped Sam’s hips firmly, trying desperately to press their bodies even more tightly together.  The friction was incredible, and almost distracted fully from the things Sam was now doing with her tongue in Lena’s mouth.

Opening her eyes for just a moment, Lena noticed that Kara had brushed Sam’s hair aside and was kissing her neck.  The sight caught her by surprise a little, and she gasped softly into Sam’s mouth.  Kara looked so good, and before she could think about it, she was grabbing Kara by the shirt and pulling her down to join the kissing going on between her and Sam. 

It was tentative, almost awkward at first.  Lena couldn’t speak for Sam, but she knew that she and Kara had never had three-way make outs before.  After maybe a minute of giggly, sloppy kissing, they found a good rhythm, and Lena moved her hand between Kara’s legs.  Her underwear were already absolutely drenched, and Kara gasped as Lena’s hand slid the damp fabric aside. 

Sam, meanwhile, began to move her lips down Lena’s body, utilizing the perfect mix of tongue and teeth as she traced a path from Lena’s jawline down her neck, across her collarbone, and between her breasts.  Lena felt her skin burn with each new kiss, bite, or lick, and each time she would get overly distracted, Kara would grin into her kisses, prompting Lena to resume the motions of her fingers.  _Who knew threesomes required such multitasking?_

Eventually Sam’s head found its way between Lena’s legs.  “Time to get rid of these,” she whispered, before pulling Lena’s underwear up and over her hips and tossing them aside.  At the first pass of Sam’s tongue, Lena’s back arched involuntarily, and she moaned loudly.  “Drama queen,” Sam joked, and the exhale of her breath on Lena’s clit sent additional sparks up and down her spine.  “I only just started.”

Kara chuckled, and decided that the focus was now firmly on Lena, so she moved her kisses slowly down towards Lena’s breasts, hand already having come to rest on the left one.  As Kara’s tongue traced languid circles slowly closer and closer to Lena’s nipple, her body tensed, and then shuddered.  Lena knew she was going to come **_very_** quickly.  Her body was completely unaccustomed to this much stimulation all at once. 

She knew that her ladies were completely aware of how her breath was speeding up, and how little control she had over her own body at this point.  “Let me know when you’re about to come, Lee.  I want to make sure you enjoy it.”  Once again, the feel of the air from Sam’s sultry whisper felt incredible against her clit, and it was almost enough to send her over the edge right then.  She bit her lip, and Sam got back to work.

“Kara,” Lena gasped.  “Kiss me.  Please.”  Kara complied, and her lips were rough, with hints of saltiness from the sweat they were all working up.  Kara’s tongue entered her mouth just as Sam started moving her tongue back and forth across Lena’s clit, and she practically shouted, “Right there!  Don’t stop!”  Sam did as she was told, and Lena cried out as her back arched and wave after wave of pleasure shot through her.  Sam kept going, and Lena’s hips bucked wildly against her head until finally Lena rested a hand on Sam’s hair, the tension in her hand practically begging Sam to stop.  She pulled up and leaned in to kiss Lena deeply. 

Lena broke away from Sam’s lips again, in desperate need of air as she came down from an incredible high.  Kara and Sam kissed briefly, then gazed at Lena, measuring her reaction.  She smiled brightly through panted breaths, just barely able to gasp out an awed, “Wow.”  She felt almost as if she were floating, her entire body covered in a thin sheen of well-earned sweat.  She honestly wasn’t sure how long she sat there smiling at her girlfriends, contentedly enjoying the afterglow, but eventually, she caught her breath. 

Sam was still lounging between Lena’s legs, but Kara had snuggled up to her side.  “You know, Kara darling, we’ve got more than enough room in here for a king-size bed, don’t you think?”  Kara looked around the room casually.

“Yeah, I don’t know.  Ithink there’s plenty of roo—”  Her voice cut out as she realized Sam and Lena were both staring at her.  “What?!”  Her eyes went wide again.  “Ohhhhhhh.”

“There it is,” Sam snarked.  “Lee, this is your place, the two of you.  You don’t need to go upgrading your bed on my account.”

“And what if I just wanted some more space because Kara kicks in her sleep?”

“I would say you’re full of shit, since we both know Kara sleeps like a corpse,” Sam replied dryly, shooting Lena some major side eye.

“Well, it was only a hypothetical—” Lena started, but Sam put a hand on hers. 

“Hey, if you really want to, it would mean a lot.  You two, making room for me in your place, in your life … you know how to make a girl feel special.”   Lena squeezed Sam’s hand.

“Awwwww.”  Kara wrapped them both in a hug, kissing each of their foreheads.  “You two are super cute.  I’m pretty much in love with both of you.”  Her smile beamed relentlessly at both of them.  Sam, however, was clearly not in warm, fuzzy mode just yet.  She nibbled at Lena’s ankle bone, dragging her teeth in a surprisingly tantalizing motion. 

Raising an eyebrow at Sam before kissing Kara’s head, Lena bit her lip then asked, “Alight, who’s next?”

~~~~

“Sup queers!”  Maggie and Alex were the last ones to arrive for their own dinner.  Noonan’s was surprisingly dead, but Kara guessed maybe there were more exciting places to be on a Saturday night in National City.  She had been the first to arrive, since she had stopped into the office to get some work done that afternoon, and CatCo was basically right next door.  She didn’t frequent Noonan’s as much as when she had been Cat’s assistant, but most of the waitstaff still knew her well, greeting her warmly as she entered and asked for a table for five.  Sam and Lena had arrived shortly after that, and then Maggie and Alex swaggered in a few minutes after 7.

Alex looked absolutely incredible.  Her still-purple hair was cut so short, and she really owned the look.  The sides were shaved into a slight undercut, while the top was a sort of asymmetrical look, with a part on the right side, and the left side just long enough to reach her cheek.  Kara leapt up to hug her.  “AHHHHHHH.  Alex, I **_LOVE_** it!  You look so wow wow wow!”

Alex chuckled.  “Thanks, Kar.  It **_does_** look pretty sweet, doesn’t it?”  Releasing Alex, Kara turned to Maggie and grabbed at her left hand.  The ring looked amazing on her delicate finger, and the sapphires seemed even brighter in the setting than they had at the store. 

“Maggie!!  I love it!!”

“Calm down, Li’l Danvers,” Maggie deadpanned.  “I mean, thank you!  But wow, Kar, take it down a notch.”

Kara blushed.  “Sorry!  I’m so happy for you two!!”  They all took their seats, and the waitress, Karen, came over to take Maggie and Alex’s drink order. 

Lena leaned back and put an arm around each of Kara and Sam, then joked, “Alex, I feel like you’ve upped a level in gay.  It’s quite inspiring.”  Alex rolled her eyes.  “No really, I’m already trying to convince Kara to cut her hair short, too.”

“Oh yeah, because her Kara Danvers disguise isn’t threadbare enough,” retorted Maggie, drawing a snort from Sam. 

“ ** _Actually_** , it would improve her disguise tremendously, if we could just figure out a way to keep a Supergirl wig on her head while flying.”  Lena pulled her arm out from around Sam so that she could wave it dismissively.  “You can’t deny Kara would look amazing with a pixie cut.”  Her eyes glinted in a mischievous way that Kara either didn’t like at all or liked entirely too much—feelings were confusing sometimes.  “Or maybe even like a mohawk or something.”

Kara laughed nervously.  “I’m sure Snapper would just **_love_** that.”

“Even more reason to do it, if you ask me,” Sam snarked.  Kara shot Alex a ‘save me’ look, and Alex cleared her throat.

“Hey so, we invited the three of you out for a reason.”  That reason would have to wait, because just then Karen arrived with their drinks.  She took the orders for the table, clearly trying to hide her disbelief at the amount of food ordered by Kara and Sam.  They exchanged a look.  Sam was still amused by the looks they got when they ordered food, but Kara was long over it.  Still, she adored watching Sam continue to acclimate to her new self. 

Once their orders were in, Alex continued.  “Like I was saying, we brought you all here because Maggie and I wanted to ask if you would help us with the wedding planning.”

“She’s underselling it,” Maggie butted in.  “We need you three to be our super special gay wedding death squad.”

“ ** _Death_** squad?”  Kara squeaked.

“ ** _Not_** a death squad.  No one will be dying.”  Alex shot Maggie an exasperated look. “Ugh.  Let’s just start here.  Kara, will you be my best lady?”

The grin on her face was instantaneous.  She loved the term ‘best lady.’  “I would be honoured, Alex!  Yay!”  She jumped up and ran around the table to give Alex another hug.  Maggie waited for her to return to her seat before facing Lena.

“And Lena, I was hoping you’d be mine, but feel free to be more chill about it than Kara.”  Kara turned to Lena, who was very clearly not going to be chill about anything.  Tears were already forming in her eyes, but she fought valiantly to keep them under control.  Her full-lipped smile was radiant, though.

"Maggie, it would be an honour.  My apologies for the lack of chill, I just … I never could’ve imagined being at a table like this, with a family like this, and having a friend like you—” she turned to Sam, “— ** _other_** than you of course, darling—who would bestow such an honour upon me.”

“Geez, Luthor, I’m just asking you to make sure I don’t spaz out and run away is all, it’s not **_that_** big a deal.”  Maggie’s dimples contradicted her words entirely, and they all knew that Lena’s friendship meant as much to Maggie as it did to Lena.  They got up and embraced briefly. 

Kara glanced over at Sam as Lena sat back down and was pleasantly surprised to see that Alex had already placed a comforting hand on Sam’s.  “I bet you’re wondering why you’re here, huh?”  Sam nodded, timid for once in her life.  “Look, Sam, I know you’re a new part of our lives, relatively speaking, and you caught us a little off guard at first with all this poly business.  But you’ve been a natural fit into our little found family all along, and you’ve quickly become one of my best friends.  It would mean a lot to us if you were involved in the wedding planning, but we did have a particular, and very prestigious, role in mind for you.”

Maggie butted in again.  “We want you to plan us the best, queerest, most fun, no-holds-barred, lesbian bachelorette party ever.  No pressure or anything.”

“You guys!”  Sam was overjoyed, and Kara was glad.  She knew that Sam had been nervous about where she would fit into everything.  “Way to play to my strengths.  I’m absolutely in.  I won’t let you down.”  She turned to Maggie.  “And if Lee needs help reining you in on the big day, she can get me to help.  No way you’ll escape me and all my superpowers, plus I won’t punt you into the sun for any momentary cold feet you might get.”  Maggie and Sam both gave Kara a look.

“I **_so_** would **_not_** do that,” Kara scoffed immediately.  “What kind of monster do you think I am?  Violence is never the answer, Samantha.”  Then she leaned in and whispered to Maggie, “No, but she’s right.  You hurt Alex, and I’ll punt you into the sun.”  She smiled brightly as she turned Maggie’s words back on her.  “ ** _No pressure or anything_**.”

Maggie chuckled nervously, and Alex narrowed her eyes at Kara.  “Hey!  You’re not the only Danvers sister who gets to be protective.”

“Fine.  But can we be done with the death threats for the night, please?”

“Deal!  Now.  I have some great ideas about colour schemes and decorations.  How do you feel about rainbows?”


	45. New Orleans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bachelorette festivities begin. Featuring a surprise guest star.

** Chapter 45 **

The pictures online did not do this balcony loft suite credit.  The split level loft room had such a distinctly New Orleans feel, but with all the luxury that Lena more or less insisted on.  Sam couldn’t believe they were finally here.  Nearly two months of planning the coolest joint lesbian bachelorette trip, and now it was coming to fruition.  She turned to Lena excitedly.

“Lena!  We fucking did it!”  Lena smiled back at her calmly, because Lena Luthor was too cool to get overly excited celebrations about accomplishing lofty goals.  “Wait, where’s Kara?” 

The blonde had squealed loudly when they entered the room and immediately started flitting around at superspeed, looking at everything.  But now she had disappeared.  Sam used her x-ray vision and immediately found her bubbly girlfriend.  She turned back to her less bubbly girlfriend and explained, “It’s fine, she’s out on the balcony, waving to people on the street.”

Lena chuckled.  “How very Kara.  And seriously, Sam, the next four days are going to be incredible.  You have planned a marvelous trip for our dear Sanvers.”

“Thanks!  I had **_a little_** help.”  Sam had done all the major planning, in terms of picking the location, the activities, and the dates, but Lena had been instrumental in figuring out the best accommodations and scheduling all the logistical details.  They really were a great team.  Sam glanced at the stairs.  “Alright, I gotta check out the ‘bedroom;’ do we want the suitcases downstairs or upstairs?”

“If you could superspeed the items that need to be hung up into the closet upstairs, the rest can stay down here.”  Sam complied, even though it was really only Lena’s dresses that needed to be hung up.  When Sam returned downstairs five seconds later, she halted with her hands around Lena’s waist.  “Thanks, darling.”

“No problem, Lee.  So, are you finally going to tell me who our mystery guest is?”  Lena’s eyes glinted mischievously. 

“What would be the fun in that?  She’ll be meeting us downstairs when we head out for dinner.  You’ll just have to suffer your curiosity a bit longer.”  Sam had planned this trip, but Lena had been the sole point of contact with the surprise seventh member of their group.  No one but Sam, Lena, and Maggie’s friend Luna even knew that the group was seven, not six, and Lena and Luna were being very sneaky about the whole thing.  Luna had been Maggie’s friend the longest, and she insisted that they absolutely had to invite this mystery lady.  Sam was in charge of all the trip planning, so she was understandably frustrated with the well-kept secret.  The mystery woman was staying in the same suite as Luna, despite there being only one bed, but Luna had assured her it was fine.  Sam was absolutely dying to know who this person was, so of course, Lena used that to torment her.

“Fine!  I’ll just have to distract myself until dinner.”  Sam slipped into her seduction voice.  “Hey, you don’t suppose they wanna go right away do you?  Because that bed looks **_awfully_** comfortable.”  Lena bit her lip, which was always a good sign.

“You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if Maggie and Alex had the same idea.  Let me text Maggs.”  Based on the buzzing of Lena’s phone, the response was pretty immediate.  Lena read her phone and laughed, loudly.  “Oh **_my_**.  She said, and I quote, ‘Leave me alone Alex is already tied to the bed.  Get it Li’l Luthor.’”  Sam snort laughed.

“Well then,” Sam wrapped her arms around Lena’s waist again and in the next moment was dropping her shrieking in surprise onto the bed upstairs.  Lena’s melodic laughter was infectious, and Sam climbed onto the bed, straddling a still giggling Lena.  She pulled her hair back into a ponytail at superspeed, then leaned down.  One hand was pressed into the bed to hold her up over Lena, and she slid her other provocatively up Lena’s jaw and into her hair, stroking Lena’s hair softly behind her ear before taking a firmer grasp.  “It feels like we’re forgetting something,” Sam teased, eliciting a sly grin from Lena.

“Oh Kara, darling?  If you’re quite finished waving at the nice people, Sam and I were hoping you might join us for some pre-dinner love making.  If you’re so inclin—”  Lena’s teasing was cut off by Kara’s lips.  Ever the master of multitasking, Kara’s hand had also found its way under Sam’s blouse, sliding tantalizingly slowly up her now taut stomach.  Sam was momentarily distracted by the sounds of passers by on the street below, and she realized Kara had left the balcony doors open.

“Babe, in your excitement to sex up your girlfriends, you may have forgotten to close the balcony doors.” 

Kara’s head shot up, eyes wide.  “Oh gosh!”  Her lips were already a little swollen, and Sam found herself entirely too turned on to care about a potential audience for the noise they were about to make. 

“Fuck it, let’s give them a show.”

“That’s the spirit, darling,” Lena growled, taking Sam’s face firmly in her hands and pulling it down forcefully to meet Lena’s waiting kiss.  Sam let out a low hum as Lena’s hands trailed down her back, nails digging in slightly.  She responded by tracing her kisses further down towards Lena’s chest.

“Hey, Kar?  Let’s get our girl out of this dress.”

~~~~

“So, Luna, how long have the three of you been a thing?”  Maggie’s ex-girlfriend (and best Gotham friend) had a neat vibe that Kara found fascinating, but she wasn’t exactly sure that she liked the game Kate Kane was playing with Lena’s name.  Despite having known Luna for years, and having coordinated with both Lena and Luna to keep her attendance on this trip a secret, Kate insisted that Lena’s name was definitely Luna, and vice versa.  It was funny at first, but Kara wondered how long she would keep it up.

Lena, for her part, seemed intrigued by it, and she had been playing along all night.  Kara bet it was because Kate made it very clear she didn’t see Lena as a Luthor.  The seven of them had walked over to the Good Friends Bar after dinner in a private room at Muriel’s, and Lena had stayed arm-in-arm with Luna the whole way, daring Kate to make additional comments.  Personally, Kara found the whole charade ridiculous.  Lena and Luna couldn’t possibly be more different.  Lena was dressed to the nines in a skintight dress and five-inch heels, with hair in a perfect, tight ponytail.  Luna, on the other hand, was a different kind of sexy, wearing a fitted vest as a top, exposing a couple inches of midriff above the thick belt of her tight jeans.  She had such a cool hairstyle, an undercut on one side, and thick, wavy locks on the other, with a couple of streaks of blue mixed in.  Very cute, but definitely no Lena.

Kara was kind of impressed at how eclectic a group they had assembled.  On one end of the spectrum was Lena, obviously.  On the other end was Kate, who was maybe the oddest dressed woman Kara had ever seen.  She was as tall as Kara or Sam, and her short, messy hair was a brilliant shade of red, framing what had to be the palest skin Kara had ever seen.  (She had discretely asked Kate if she was a vampire—Kara didn’t care, she had nothing against vampires.  Just curious.  Kate insisted she was not.)  Her pale face was marked by her deep red lipstick and very dark, shadowy eye makeup.  She was wearing high-waisted burgundy jeans with suspenders over a high-necked, halter crop top and camo boots, and she had a ton of tattoos.  Maggie said Kate was some sort of heiress, but none like Kara had ever seen.  Gotham must be a strange place.

Anyways, now they were out for a night of casual drinking and getting to know each other, and Kate was hanging out with Kara and her girlfriends while Luna, Maggie, and Alex played darts over on the other side of the bar.  Lena seemed in no rush to answer Kate’s question, so Kara decide that she would do it herself.

“Well, Lena and I have been together almost as long as Alex and Maggie, what like a year and a half?”  Lena shrugged, as if to say ‘sounds about right.’  “Sam and I started dating in November, and Sam and Lena… well that’s, fairly new.”

“But we’ve been good friends for nearly six years now,” added Sam.  Kate raised an eyebrow, sidling up a little closer to Sam in a way that Kara wasn’t sure she loved.

“ ** _Just_** friends that whole time?  I have trouble imagining that.”  Sam gave Kara a reassuring wink, as if she could sense her unease, then leaned closer to Kate.  She placed a hand flirtily on the redhead’s chin.

“Oh sweetie, I’m sure you can imagine **_plenty_**.”  Sam wasn’t one to be out-flirted, and Kara scolded herself internally for the brief moment of jealousy.  _Definitely need more Almeracian vodka._   Human alcohol didn’t really do much for Kara and Sam, so she had brought along two large bottles of the very potent alien vodka in the biggest purse she owned.  She and Sam had been spiking their own drinks at superspeed all night, since they had to hide their identities from Luna and Kate.  “Though I feel I should warn you, we’re not really looking to add a fourth.”

Kate chuckled, reaching up and stroking Sam’s hand softly, before moving down to the table beside them and patting it softly.  “Don’t worry, tall dark and sexy—I already figured that out.  But it’s a bachelorette party, right?  Who says a girl can’t have a little fun?”  She tossed back the rest of her drink then smiled at Lena.  “What do ya say, Luna, wanna grab some more drinks?  I’ve gotta get nice and drunk so that Maggie has a chance to beat me at pool tonight.”

“It **_is_** a party, isn’t it?”  Lena sauntered after Kate, and Kara sidled up closer to Sam, who put an arm around her shoulders.

“Wanna listen in?” Sam whispered.

“You know it!”  Kara loved having someone with senses as good as her own.  Enhanced people watching was one of Kara and Sam’s favourite everyday activities.  Sam and Lena had already reached the bar.  Lena was standing straight in her usual power pose, one hand on her hip.  Kate was leaned back against the bar, arms splayed wide.  Kara took another sip of her vodka cranberry as she and Sam listened in to the banter.

“You know, you don’t look like any servicewoman I’ve ever seen.”

“Could be because I’m not a servicewoman.”  Lena raised an eyebrow, clearly curious to see where her assumption had gone awry.

“Sorry, it’s just, your tattoo.  That, and your overall demeanor.  Most people might think it was simple alertness, but you identified every exit in this building the minute we walked in, didn’t you?”  Kara looked closer, and sure enough that was a military-style tattoo on Kate’s left arm, a green arrow or spear head around the outline of a sword crossed with three lightning bolts.  Lena really did have a great eye for detail--the tattoo blended in with the larger sleeve of tattoos adorning most of Kates arm.

“Huh, you’re much more observant than I would’ve expected from the Luthor heiress.  Not planning an evil plot on me, are you **_Lena_**?” 

“Oh, now you know my name, Kate?  How interesting.”

“What can I say?  I like playing games.  At least when it comes to hot chicks.  So, this bachelorette trip should be great for me.  We’re all super hot.”  Their drinks came, along with two “vodka sodas” that Sam had sneakily switched out for two glasses of diet coke for her and Kara.  “And, for the record, I **_was_** in the military, top of my class at West Point.  But they kicked me out when I wouldn’t pretend to be straight.  Your attention to detail is almost as exquisite as your sense of style.”  Kate pushed off the bar and started walking back towards Kara and Sam, without looking back at Lena.

“Girl’s got game, I’ll give her that,” Sam whispered to Kara before Kate and Lena got back.

“Holy wow, you aren’t kidding.”  Kara giggled and kissed Sam on the cheek. 

Kate gave her a look as she walked up.  “Wow, Kara, you really are every bit the shiny happy golden retriever Maggie said you were.”

“She **_really_** is,” Sam and Lena confirmed in unison, and Kara smiled brightly at both of them. 

“Fuck me, you lot are disgustingly cute.”

The atmosphere at The Good Friends was pretty awesome, with a fairly quiet but fun crowd that at least looked like it trended towards a queer clientele.  Kara shouldn’t have been surprised, given that Sam planned the whole thing.  They ended up hanging there most of the night.  A bit later, Kate and Sam were taking on Alex and Maggie at pool.  Kate had apparently gotten drunk enough that she thought Maggie had a shot at winning.  Ultimately, all that really meant was that the game (games really—things got far too complicated) became a high-powered show down between Alex and Sam, who were both excellent pool players.

Meanwhile, Kara and Lena had posted up on either side of Luna.  Lena was quite pleasantly drunk at that point, but Kara and Luna were both closer to tipsy still.  Luna had been Maggie’s closest friend before she met Alex, and while they weren’t as close as Sam and Lena had been or as Maggie and Lena were now, she had known Maggie the longest.  She had been the one to insist that Kate be involved.  Lena had hung out with her a few times with Maggie, but she didn’t really come up in conversation when Kara was around.  As such, Kara didn’t know her well at all, and figured tonight was the perfect time to remedy that.

“Alright, Danvers, explain something to me.”

Kara’s mouth dropped open.  “What? Uhhh who? Me?  You’re calling me ‘Danvers?’””

Luna narrowed her eyes and chuckled softly.  “That’s your name isn’t it?”

“Uhhh I mean yeah, but usually Alex is the one people call ‘Danvers.’  I’m always just ‘Kara.’”  Kara’s cheek heated up.  She knew she was being awkward, but she didn’t know how to stop. 

“Alright then, **_just Kara_** , what sorta dirt can you give me on Alex?”  Kara’s eyes narrowed as Lena laughed at Luna just going for it.  “What?  I just wanna know a little more about the lady my girl is marrying.”  She gave Alex a long, appraising look.  “Like … for example, she didn’t **_really_** think she was straight all this time, did she?  That lesbian over there with the purple undercut and the leather jacket?”

Lena snorted into her drink, and Kara shot her a pointed glare.  Luna nodded at Lena, appreciating the ridiculousness of the idea.  Kara had no clue how to answer the question.  “I …well, I mean, **_yeah_** but—”  Kara took a long sip of her drink, and Luna just looked at her, dark eyes amused but still curious.  “She … ugh.  It’s all my fault.  She just figured dating and sex and stuff wasn’t for her.  It never occurred to her that she was gay, and I never brought it up.”

“But …  I’m sorry, you’re both gay, and it just never came up until your late twenties?”  Lena walked around Luna as she was talking and leaned against Kara, steadying her a bit.

“Crazy huh?”  Kara tried for humour, knowing she was going to have to work around some details she obviously couldn’t share.  “So, we just … never really talked about it.  When we were younger, we just had different priorities.  I can’t speak for Alex, but I always knew I was queer, I just didn’t really think to put much of a label on it because I wasn’t really interested in dating.  When Alex first came out to me, I felt so freaking guilty because maybe if I had just talked about it, she would’ve figured it out sooner?  I just kind of always assumed she was asexual or something—”

“Maggie assures me that is very **_not_** the case, just fyi darling.”  Lena was grinning mischievously, making Luna laugh.  Kara could feel her brow crinkle as she turned to her girlfriend.

“Leeeeeeeeena!  Please don’t tell me you and Maggie just sit around swapping sex stories.”

Lena shrugged ever so slightly.  “Don’t be so crass, Kara.  We don’t discuss sex **_that_** often.”  Kara didn’t really care that much, but the booze had her feeling dramatic.  For the record, she felt like she was extremely sex positive.  But Kara couldn’t let this teasing go unpunished, so she pouted theatrically.

“Oh wow, Lena, how do you resist those puppy dog eyes?  That’s one of the most adorable things I’ve ever seen.”

“She doesn’t,” Kara remarked, feeling vindicated.  Lena rolled her eyes, but didn’t contradict her girlfriend.

“Cute.  So, Alex legitimately didn’t know she was gay until she fell head over heels for Maggie, huh?  I just … did no one in your friend group have eyes?”  Lena was absolutely cracking up.  She had already told Kara on a number of occasions that Alex dinged her gaydar from the very first moment Lena met her. 

“Ugh.  Apparently we did not.”

“And Lena … you’re like, famous.  Kinda.  How come I never heard anything about you being gay?  I’m pretty sure I would’ve noticed if there were rumours that the hottest, wealthiest chick in National City was interested in the ladies.”  Luna was insightful, but a little pushy.  But Kara couldn’t pretend she didn’t enjoy having the spotlight slid over to Lena, so she could be the one getting teased for a bit.

“Yes, well, if you ever had the distinct misfortune of meeting my mother, you would understand why I have been pretty firmly in the closet most of my life.  Fortunately for you, she is hiding god knows where, probably planning some new plan to kill me or kidnap me or brainwash me or something?”  Kara’s brow furrowed a little.  She knew that Lillian’s continued freedom was a serious concern for Lena, but she didn’t usually mention her in casual conversation anymore.  Not since Jeremiah.  Maybe Lena was more drunk than Kara realized.

“Yikes.  Sorry, Lena.  Didn’t mean to bring up any sore subjects.”  Luna took another drink, glancing back to the pool table where Maggie had just loudly accused Kate of cheating somehow.  Sam was standing with an arm resting lightly on Alex’s shoulders, both of them silently enjoying the show.   As if an afterthought, Luna tossed out a follow up thought.  “So what you’re telling me is that, before Lena and Maggie—what like two years ago?—your friend group basically seemed more or less straight?  Or at least, straight-presenting?”

Kara’s eyes widened.  She had never really thought about it that way, especially back then.  It took Alex coming out for her to really come to terms with how important questioning and labelling sexual orientation and gender was for humans, but Luna had a point.  A really good one.

“Gosh.  I … yeah, a little bit.  That’s crazy!”  She looked at Lena, bewildered, and Lena just smiled knowingly back at her. 

“And now look at us,” Lena remarked.  “Two lesbians, getting married.  A polyamorous triad of queer women.  Winn’s bi.  Vasquez and Lucy are queer.  James …”

Kara’s head snapped to the side, mouth agape at Lena’s insinuation.  “Noooo.  James is so straight.  Isn’t he?”

“Darling, just because he kissed you that one time and then tried to hit on me that other, doesn’t make him straight.  Have you heard the way he talks about Superman?”

“Oh right!  You guys are friends with James Olsen.  You’re like 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon away from knowing Superman … or, uhh, fuck.  You know what I mean.”  Luna seemed legitimately fascinated by this idea.  If only she knew that she was currently getting drunk with Supergirl and Power Girl.  Kara had to actively work not to laugh aloud at the thought.  Fortunately, Lena had her back.

“Friends might be stretching it a bit.  Kara used to be pretty good friends with him, but he and his superpowered friend have never really been big fans of mine, thanks to my last name.”  Lena wasn’t lying, per se, but she was definitely telling the story in a particular way to distract from any connection Kara might have to anything Super-related.

“Fair enough.  And also, that really sucks.  You seem pretty badass to me, Lena.  Even if you played along with Kate’s bullshit for a little too long tonight.  If Supes can’t see how cool you are, that’s his loss.  And also--”  Luna leaned in conspiratorially, and yup, she was definitely feeling her alcohol now, “—who the **_fuck_** cares what men think anyway?”

Lena laughed uproariously, and Kara laughed along even though she thought the gross generalization was a little off-putting.  A good many men were entitled misogynistic asshats, she had to admit, but she tried to see the good in people where she could.  _Oh Rao, am I even sunnier when I’m drunk?_   Kara smiled at the thought, feeling a little silly.  “More drinks!  Lena, Luna, come with me!” 

Lena and Luna followed her, and Lena was sure to keep a hand on her arm just in case Kara forgot herself and moved faster than humanly possible.  They approached the bar, and Kara turned back to Luna.  “Luna!  I am enjoying getting to know you, and you said a nice thing about my girlfriend!  So, I bestow upon you the honour of choosing our next round of drinks.”  Lena made a face at her, ostensibly because she knew full well that whatever Luna chose wouldn’t have any effect on Kara.  Acting on impulse, Kara leaned in close, close enough that her lips grazed Lena’s ear as she whispered, “It’s fine!  I promise I’ll take a superfast supershot of superalien supervodka, kay?” 

That was apparently enough to send Lena into a fit of giggles, though Kara had no idea why.  Lena was so very pretty when she laughed, though, so Kara didn’t complain.  Luna, on the other hand, looked at them both like they were crazy.  “You know what?  I don’t wanna know.  You two keep your sweet nothings.”  She turned to the bartender.  “I’m gonna need three of the most New Orleans-y drink you can make for us.”

“Three Sazeracs, coming right up!” 

“Ooooooooh I like the way that sounds, ‘Sazerac.’  Doesn’t it sound nice, Lena?”  Kara was smiling brightly, she was really having fun now.

“Yes, darling, it is quite a nice sounding word.  Are you feeling quite alright?”  Kara snorted at Lena without really thinking about it too hard.

“I’m great, creampuff.  Having a blast.”  Their drinks came, and Kara turned to the two beautiful ladies, all three of them with an authentic Sazerac in hand.  “Doesn’t this place have an upstairs?  Let’s go check it out.  I bet there’s a balcony!”  Luna grinned and Lena sighed, and both followed her diligently up the stairs.  Sure enough, there was a balcony.  As they walked out into the warm Louisiana air, Kara could hear the distinct sounds of drunken revelry to their right, no superhearing required.  That must be Bourbon Street, a block over.  But there were still plenty of people walking the street below them for her to wave at enthusiastically. 

“Wow,” snarked Luna.  “Just wow.  Is she always like this?” she asked Lena.

“More or less,” came the answer, and Kara giggled as Lena took care to kiss her cheek affectionately. 

“Alright, so I think we’re all drunk enough to get nosy and shit, right?”  _Oh here we go!_ Kara thought, not unpleasantly.  She kept facing the street below, taking in the sights and sounds of New Orleans around her.  But she wasn’t ignoring Luna, and neither was Lena.  _Rao, this Sazerac is so tasty!_

“I have a feeling where you’re going with this, but it’s fine.  Ask you question.”  Lena’s tone was just the perfect mix of sardonic wit and compassionate acquiescence.  Kara briefly felt proud of herself for thinking of the word ‘acquiescence’ on the fly.  Then she glanced back at Luna to make it clear she welcomed her question.

“Cool.  So like … do you three never get jealous?”  Luna asked hesitantly, clearly not wanting to seem like an ass.  Lena fielded the question.

“Of each other, you mean?  I think there was a little jealousy here and there at first, when we were still feeling everything out, but there’s not really any lately.

“I got jealous earlier when Kate was flirting with Sam!” Kara blurted out, unprompted.  “But then I felt stupid for feeling that way, and just enjoyed the show.  They’re both **_excellent_** flirts.”

“Huh.”  Luna took a drink.  “So, it’s really not an issue anymore?  Like … Lena, if Kara is sleeping over at Sam’s, or they’re going on some big date, just the two of them—well … hold on, I guess lemme start there.  Is it always the three of you, or do you do stuff as couples too?”

Kara turned from the balcony, dead set on answering this one.  She smiled at Luna, leaning back against the wrought iron railing of the balcony.  Then she lost her balance and nearly had to use her powers to keep herself from falling over the edge.  “Rao, I’m a clumsy dork.  Let’s sit.” 

They took seats around a nearby table.  “You know, Lena and I were together for nearly a year before I even met Sam.  Though … Sam and Lena met first.  They used to date!  But that was a long time ago… and you know, again now, obviously.  But they were just really good friends for most of the last six years.”  Kara paused, trying to remember the question she was answering.  “Oh right!  My point is yes, we do stuff as couples.  All of us doing things together, like in a non-friend way, is a fairly new thing actually.”

Kara grinned at Lena, who seemed to be enjoying her inebriated state.  Luna was slouched comfortably in her chair, taking in the information.  She seemed to be handling it just fine.  Or maybe these Sazeracs were just **_that_** good.

“Yeah, cool cool.  That makes sense.  And hell, it sounds pretty hot.  But that’s what I was gonna ask before, though I’m starting to think I know what your answers will be.  So, if Kara and Sam have a hot date, plus a sleepover I guess, and it’s just them—you don’t get jealous or lonely, Lena?”

Lena considered it, which Kara knew was more because she wanted to get the phrasing right, not because she wasn’t sure of her answer.  “Do I get lonely sometimes, when Kara and Sam are doing things?  Sure.  On occasion.  But just as often, sometimes I want some time to myself.  Or I’m hanging out with Maggie.  Or my friend Winn.”  Lena took a sip.  “It’s not really any different than anything else.  If you have a couple of friends go out to a thing without you for some reason, does that make **_you_** feel jealous?”

“Not usually.  I mean … unless they’re doing something really awesome and were so rude that they didn’t invite me.”

“ ** _Exactly_**.  It’s the same with us, except that there’s romance and sex involved.  And we don’t really do that.  Sure, sometimes I need a night with Kara, without Sam.  But we would never exclude her from something cool.  It’s just that—whether it’s me and Kara or Kara and Sam or me and Sam or all three of us, the dynamics are a little different.  And there’s room for all of it.  Am I explaining it right, darling?”

“You’re doing awesome, creampuff.  I’ve got nothing to add,” Kara beamed at Lena.  She was feeling really warm and happy and good right now.  “Also, I really freaking love you and stuff.”

“Hah.  I love you too, Kara.”  Lena turned back to Luna, eyebrows raised in question.

“Thanks for answering my dumb questions.  I just … I don’t know anyone in a relationship like this.  I was curious.  The three of you are really goddamn cute, if I’m being perfectly honest.”

Kara had been too distracted by the conversation, and the drunken pedestrians below them, to hear anyone coming out on the balcony with them.  So she jumped just slightly when Sam’s voice came seemingly out of nowhere.  “Do I hear someone talking about how adorable my girlfriends are?”  She came into view, with Alex, Maggie, and Kate close behind her.  “Because I mean, you’re damn right, Luna.  They’re fucking ridiculous.  But this trip is about the one with the purple hair and the really tiny one.”  Sam’s words slurred a little, and Kara wondered if she had— _Rao, she had!_ —taken one of the bottles from her purse, and hid it somewhere, finishing it off herself.  “Wait, what were their names again?”

“Sanvers!” shouted Lena, producing an eye roll from Alex and a groan from Maggie. 

“Yeah!  Those bitches,” Sam confirmed, as she came up behind Kara and placed her hands on either shoulder.  Kara closed her eyes and leaned into Sam’s strong hands.  “The ones who absolutely can’t handle me and Kate at pool.”

“Hey don’t look at me, I tried to let them win.  It **_is_** their party after all.”  If Kate was trying to look innocent, she was failing spectacularly.

“Hardy har har.  Enough of this bullshit,” Maggie insisted.  “Lena, finish that drink.  Kate, go pay the fucking tab.”  She drew in a breath, standing straight in such a dramatic fashion that she had to be making some sort of announcement.  “The night is far from done, bitches.  Call me bridezilla if you will—”

“We will,” Alex teased, and Maggie glared at her, albeit playfully.

“Fine.  But fuck it, let’s hit Bourbon Street.”

Sam groaned, raising a hand from Kara’s shoulder to massage her own forehead.  “Fuck that, I explicitly left Bourbon off our plans for a reason, Maggie.”  Maggie shot her the side eye, and Sam raised both of her hands in a defensive motion, conceding to the bridezilla’s wishes.

“ ** _Nah_** , this is my party, and I’ll do what I want to.  And I want to go make fun of drunken frat boys.  Lez go!”


	46. Bitches on the Bayou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day two of the bachelorette activities involved kayaking and banter.

** Chapter 46 **

“Hey Kate, you think we’ll find any otters out here?”  The ginger looked over her shoulder back at Kara with a playful smirk. 

“Really, Kara?  An otter?  In a bayou?” 

“Is that a no?”  Kate scoffed, then turned back to the front of the kayak they were sharing.  It was much cooler than Kara had imagined Louisiana would be in late April.  Kate was wearing a dark, cowl-neck sweatshirt over a pair of blue and grey camo pants with combat boots.  She was one of the few members of their group who was excited that it was cool and overcast today, and Kara didn’t blame her.  Kate’s ghostly skin probably burned super easily.  Based on her scent, Kara guessed she was probably doused in sunscreen and bug spray regardless.  Kara, on the other hand, hadn’t brought any cool weather outdoor outfits (for which Lena had scolded her this morning).  She was kayaking in a tank top, denim Bermuda shorts, and hiking boots.  Good thing she wasn’t human or anything. 

Kara released her paddle and pulled out her phone.  A quick search gave her the information she wanted.  “Ah hah!  There are **_so_** otters out here!  Somewhere.”  Kate didn’t respond at all; instead she used Kara’s pause in rowing to lift an ice cold beer to her lips.  “Hey!  Where did you get a beer?”  Kate moved her body sideways, pointing at the miniature cooler hidden in front of her feet, inside the body of the kayak.  Kara was dumbfounded.  “ ** _How_** did you get that in the kayak without me noticing?!”

Kate shrugged.  “What can I say?  I’m **_very_** sneaky.  It’s kinda my thing.” 

Just then, Sam yelled from a good thirty feet in front of them, “Will you two quit arguing about the wildlife and catch up to the group please?!”  Kara stuck out her tongue playfully, but she and Kate took up their paddles once again.

“You miss seeing my face that much, Sammy?” Kate asked playfully, once they caught up to the group.

“I’ll leave that to Luna,” Sam retorted, winking at the younger woman sharing a kayak with Alex.  Kayaking had been, as with nearly all of this trip, Sam’s idea.  Amidst the expected drinking and revelry, she had wanted something a little more active or outdoorsy.  Something distinctly Alex.  Kayaking the nearby bayou was what she settled on, and Alex’s eyes had indeed lit up when Sam revealed their afternoon plans.

They had all taken their time waking up that morning, sleeping off hangovers at their own paces before meeting up for beignets at the world famous Café du Monde.  Then they rented four kayaks, an SUV, and small trailer to transport the kayaks.  Sam was the only one of them who had kayaked before, so she took one for herself and paired the rest of them off in intentionally eclectic pairings.  Kara/Kate, Alex/Luna, and Maggie/Lena (okay so that last one wasn’t eclectic, but Sam had done her best).  They had now been on the water for twenty minutes or so.

“Alex, you’re a badass, right?”  Luna had ignored Sam’s insinuation, changing the topic immediately.  Sam and Kara had accidentally heard some very distinctive and particular noises coming from Kate and Luna’s room, which was next door to Lena, Kara, and Sam’s room, not long after they had all turned in around 2 a.m.  They had tuned out the sounds, not wanting to pry, but speculation had quickly broken out between the three as they drifted off to sleep.  Sam had been looking for an opportunity to tease them about it all day.  Luna was apparently not keen to talk about it right now.

“Yes, I am.  Why do you ask?”  Alex was sitting behind Luna, looking skeptically at the back of her head.

“I just …  I mean there are snakes out here, right?  And alligators?  Can you like … handle them?  I just really don’t want to get bitten by some poisonous water snake and die in some fucking swamp in Louisiana.”

Alex’s face scrunched into an incredulous (and really funny) look, but Maggie fielded the question, shouting across the water, “Don’t worry your pretty little head, you precious urban princess.  Alex Danvers can kill a full-grown gator with her bare hands.”

As those two bickered a bit further, Kate and Kara paddled up alongside Lena and Maggie.  “You doing okay, sweetie?”  Lena was having a rough time.  The outdoors were not exactly her thing.  A casual hike through a Midvale forest was one thing; a lively kayak through a New Orleans bayou is a different animal entirely.  She hadn’t complained and was soldiering on admirably, but Kara could tell she was pretty uncomfortable right now.

“I’m doing alright Kara.  Have you noticed any pretty animals yet?”  Kara smiled appreciatively.  Her wonderful girlfriend just wanted her to have a good time, even if she wasn’t. 

“Definitely not any **_otters_** , I can tell you that,” Kate snarked.  Kara just smiled that much brighter, knowing that her own joy would help Lena feel a little better.

“No, no otters **_Kate_** ,” Kara rejoined, “but I **_did_** see a couple of herons against a gorgeous backdrop of purple water hyacinth.  I got a photo for later.”  Kara was beyond excited; it would be an incredible painting if she could capture it correctly.

“Katherine, I’m going to have to insist that you refrain from mocking my girlfriend’s love of otters.  It is adorable and precious, and also you should give me one of your beers.”  Kate and Lena exchanged a series of looks, but Kara could only see Lena’s face, since she was directly behind Kate in the kayak.  Based on Lena’s looks, she guessed it was some sort of power play, but she couldn’t be sure.  Not exactly her area of expertise.  But in the end, Kate shrugged, and took one hand off her paddle to reach in her cooler and pull out a beer for Lena.

“Alright, Li’l Luthor, you’re draggin our ass here.  Let’s show these bitches how we kayak.”  Maggie’s tone was jovial but insistent.  Lena sighed, then she and Kara exchanged a knowing look.  Lena gladly helped Maggie pull ahead, because she knew it would leave Kara with a modicum of privacy to have a conversation with Kate that Lena knew Kara really wanted to have. 

Kara paddled in silence, she and Kate at the tail end of their group yet again.  She was unsure how to start the conversation.  Except that Kate surprised her by beating her to it.  “Blondie, I get the sense that you wanna ask me something.  Given your status as sister of the bride, I’m guessing it has something to do with my history with Maggie?”

Mouth agape, Kara stared at the back of Kate’s head.  _How does she do that?_ The more Kara got to know Kate, the more of an enigma the fascinating woman became.  She was alert, insanely observant, astute, insightful, and above all else, mysterious.  Kara could see the appeal, but that only stoked her curiosity further.  Despite somewhat similar looks, Kate and Alex were very, **_very_** different people.  Kara wondered if there was some common thread.  And also why Maggie and Kate didn’t work out.

“Okay well, gosh, it’s …. Yeah.  I’m super curious.  How did you and Maggie meet?”  Kara hoped Kate didn’t mind her prying a bit.  She also had a strong feeling that if Kate didn’t want to talk about something, she wouldn’t.

“In a hurricane, actually.  I knew that the hurricane was about to hit Gotham, but I was too drunk to care, and I got picked up and brought to the station to sober up and ride out the storm.  Maggie was walking across the precinct bullpen, and it was one of those bullshit cliché moments where our eyes met across the room.  Instant sparks.”

Something about Kate’s tone made Kara wonder if she was getting the full story on that, but she was too polite to push.  “What was Maggie like back then?  How long ago was it?”

“Like seven or eight years ago, I think?  When I first met Maggie, she was just a beat cop, trying so adorably hard to make detective in the Gotham City PD.  We always clashed about her devotion to her career ambition and my … well, the opposite of that.  But we couldn’t stay away from each other.  She was—what?—like 24 or 25 back then, and as feisty as she is now, imagine double that.”

Kara smiled softly.  Young Maggie sounded like a handful.  “So … do you mind if I ask what happened?”

“I don’t mind at all.  It’s ancient history.  And Maggie and I are long past it, obviously.”  The two of them kept paddling, albeit a bit more idly than the rest of the group.  Kara waited with baited breath.  By now, she loved and trusted Maggie, and she knew in her gut that she and Alex were meant to be.  But she couldn’t deny wanting to know as much about Maggie’s past as possible, especially from such an interesting and knowledgeable source as Kate.

“It’s … complicated.”  Kate’s voice sounded hesitant, but not pained.  Not in any way that would worry Kara.  “Don’t freak out or anything okay?”  She glanced over her shoulder, and Kara nodded.  “I asked her to marry me.  We had only been dating a little over a year, and things had always been more or less turbulent between us.  But that woman made me **_feel_** things.  And maybe I was a lot impulsive back then.  Hell, I still am, even if I’ve toned it down a bit.”

 _Proposed?!_   Kara struggled to process this new information.  She didn’t realize Maggie and Kate had ever been that serious.  And obviously it hadn’t worked out … how do you remain friends after something like that?  “So … what went wrong?”

“What went right, you mean?  Let’s not forget things have worked out pretty well here.”  Kate glanced back at Kara, winking cheekily.  “Maggie freaked out, which in hindsight makes perfect sense.  Called me crazy.  Said I was moving too quickly.  And I was.”

“And that was it?”  _Should I feel bad for wishing there was a less underwhelming ending to this story?_

“No, actually.  We kept on for a few weeks after that, pretending nothing was different.  But of course, things **_were_** different.  Eventually, Maggie thought she wanted me to ask again, but that she had conditions.”  Kate paused.  “I guess I should tell you that the week before I proposed, Maggie solved this huge case that had been tormenting her for weeks.  And … around that same time, she caught me in a pretty big lie.  There’s a whole story there, but I really don’t feel like getting into it.”

“So, the proposal was you overcompensating, huh?”  Kara took Kate’s silence as confirmation.  Kara realized that wasn’t the end of the story though.  “Wait, what were Maggie’s conditions?”  Kate hesitated.  Maybe she still wasn’t comfortable talking about.  Maybe she didn’t want to say anything negative about Maggie to her fiancée’s sister.  Or maybe she just wasn’t sure how to explain.  Kara didn’t push—she just kept rowing along gently while she waited for Kate to collect her thoughts.

“Long story short, she wanted me to change.  To give up my … **_lifestyle_**.  Get a **_real_** job.  And that wasn’t something I was willing to do.  Not for Maggie.  Not for anyone.  So, we broke up.”  Kate picked up the speed of her rowing just slightly, giving Kara the impression that she wanted to be done with this conversation.  Kara matched her speed, and they began to catch up to the group.

In some ways, Kate’s story reminded her a little of when Lena and Sam had dated the first time, minus the ending wherein they ended up in a polyamorous triad.  Kara doubted that was something Alex and Maggie would be down for.  Still…  “How long before you were able to be friends again?  I mean … you two seem great now.  How did that work out?”

“Oh, things were definitely tense between us for a couple of months.  I got into some trouble that put me just a little at odds with the cops, which didn’t help.  I was acting out.  But eventually we came to an understanding.  I stopped fucking up, even though I wasn’t willing to make the changes that would’ve been necessary for us to get back together.  Eventually, we started hanging out casually.  Neither of us really had many friends, not really.  And we liked each other too much to just stay away.  Things didn’t completely cement into the purely platonic friendship we have now until she moved across the country to National City a couple of years later.  Since then, we stay in touch but only really see each other maybe a couple of times a year.  We’re both busy people and not really the traveling sort.”

“Thanks for sharing that with me, Kate.  Sorry if any of my questions were awkward.”

Kate blew her off.  “Like I said, ancient history.  Nothing to feel awkward about.  Maggie’s a good kid, and she and Alex seem really happy together.”

“I agree, even if …”  Kara silenced herself, realizing that this wasn’t really the time or place to bring up her past issues with Maggie.  Especially not now that they were back in earshot of the rest of the group.  “Nevermind.  A story for another time.”

“Well, now I’m curious,” Kate complained wryly.  “Don’t think I’ll forget.”

“I’m quite sure you won’t,” Kara teased.  Kate had already proved how effectively she caught onto all the little details and remembered them perfectly.  It honestly made Kara just a little uncomfortable, especially since there was something about the way Kate interacted with her that made Kara worry she suspected that Kara was something more than human.  However, as they pulled up to the group, she was distracted by Lena complaining about a smell of some sort, drawing a chuckle from Kate.

~~~~

Lena felt like overall she was hiding her severe dislike for the bayou fairly well.  But she could only repress it for so long.  As they began turning a slight bend in the part of the bayou Sam was leading them down, something began to assault her nose.  “What the fuck is that horrendous smell?  Something out here is **_foul_**.”  The laughter from behind her announced Kate and Kara’s reentry into the orbit of the group, and Lena turned to shoot a stink eye in their direction.  “Seriously, did something die?  This **_swamp_** didn’t smell great before, but this is just awful.”

Sam called back to her, “Actually Lee, you’re absolutely right.”  She pointed a little ahead of them, on the right shore of a small embankment amongst the various trees and moss dotting the surface of the bayou.  Resting there, belly up, was the only slightly decaying corpse of an alligator.  Lena felt her face shift from discomfort to pure disgust. 

“Fucking gross!” exclaimed Luna.  Lena agreed with her completely.  But of course, Maggie thought it was the perfect opportunity to crack a joke. 

“Babe, did you already scope this area out and come fight a gator without telling us?

Alex made a face.  “You know that if I fought a gator, I would’ve been bragging about it all day.  Don’t even joke.”  She paused, face getting pensive.  “But while we’re on the topic, if we **_did_** happen to find a gator and, hypothetically, I killed it with one of the knives I’ve got stored in my boots … could we get in trouble?”

Maggie immediately answered, “Yeah, babe.  Pretty sure that’s illegal.  You almost certainly need a license for that.”

“Okay, but everyone understands that I could absolutely kill a gator with nothing more than a knife, right?”  Lena was absolutely sure that Alex Danvers could definitely do that.  Kate made a sound as if she was going to speak up, but Alex fixed her with such a ferocious glare that she immediately swallowed whatever snarky comment had been on her tongue.

Kara spoke up.  “How do you think she died?  Alligators are the biggest predators around here, right?”  Because of course Kara would be concerned with the untimely demise of a massive reptilian monster in a swamp.  Lena sighed.  _This is the woman I love._

Alex squinted, surveying the alligator corpse.  “I don’t see any major wounds, and it doesn’t appear as though any other critters have been munching on it.  That’s really weird.  I wonder if it was diseased or something.  Surely if hunters got it, they would’ve taken it, either as a trophy or food.  Fried gator is surprisingly delicious, after all.”  Alex had eaten gator last night before they hit the bars and had been raving about it ever since.  “I don’t know, Kara.”

“What, Kara, are you looking to get yourself a pet gator?”  Lena glared daggers at Sam, who almost certainly had brought it up solely to antagonize Lena.

“ ** _Samantha_** , do **_not_** give Kara any ideas.”  She ignored the laughter her outburst had brought out of the rest of the group, turning to Kara.  “Darling, you know very well that we don’t have time to take care of a cat, much less something as … **_exotic_** as a literal swamp monster.”

Kara’s face fell a little, because Sam’s suggestion had produced exactly the reaction Lena feared it would.  “Yeah … you’re right.  But I could totally convince an alligator to be friends with me, I’m sure of it.”  The reactions to Kara’s girlish naivete ranged from knowing adoration (Alex, Sam, and Lena) to knowing exasperation (Maggie) to disbelieving incredulity (Luna and Kate).

“You absolutely could, love.  But that doesn’t mean you should.  Let’s leave the scaly beasts where they belong, in the stinky swamps.”  Lena smiled brightly at Kara, earning a look of pure sunshine in return.  She loved how expressive Kara’s face could be.  With Kara reassured, Lena directed her attention back to Sam, who was watching the conversation with a sly grin on her face.  Lena mouthed, “You’re dead.”  Sam responded by seductively licking her lips, and Lena could only shake her head.  _She is as infuriating as she is delightful._ This was the dynamic they had quickly established between the three of them, since Lena and Sam had reconciled, and Lena couldn’t pretend she didn’t relish it, even in this godforsaken backwater.

As she broke the look she and Sam were sharing, she caught Luna watching them.  A mischievous grin spread slowly across her lips.  Lena raised her eyebrows in question.  Luna glanced over at Kara, then mentioned, as if it were the most casual observation in the world, “You know, when Maggie told me we were gonna be hanging out with Lena and her two girlfriends,  Sam and Kara weren’t exactly what I pictured.”  Lena’s brow instantly furrowed.  _Where is she going with this?_

“Just saying, when I think of a polyamorous lesbian triad, I don’t immediately picture a gaggle of femmes, you know?”  Again, Luna’s tone made it sound as if Lena absolutely shouldn’t take this as an insult, but it was a very strange observation.  Lena had no clue how to respond.  Sam had no such issue.

“Umm… sorry to disappoint?”  The statement was worded as a harmless question, but Lena could hear the biting sarcasm under her tone.  She wondered if Luna could spot it.  She glanced forward at Maggie, who looked more than a little uncomfortable.  While she was unsure of Luna’s motives, Lena didn’t want any potential conflict or negativity to spread, so she jumped in and tried to lighten the mood.

“You know … I’ve been trying to convince Kara to cut her hair off for a while now.”  She winked at Sam, trying to calm her down a bit as she soothed things over. 

“Oh shit!  I could totally see that,” Luna cooed.  “Kara, you’d be one sexy ass soft butch.  Maybe that’s just a Danvers thing.”  Her nose crinkled.  “I mean, not genetically, obviously.  But you know what I mean.” 

Lena gazed over at Kara, who was blushing.  “See, darling.  I’m not the only one who thinks so.”  She turned back to Luna.  “She thinks it wouldn’t be a good look for her job, but I think that’s crazy.”

“Lena, if my sister likes her long hair, you shouldn’t push her to cut it.”  Alex also sounded confused by the direction the conversation had suddenly taken.  “And Luna, I hope you’re not passing some sort of judgment on my sister and her girlfriends.  They don’t owe you anything.  No one has to look a certain way to be queer, you know.”  Her tone was stern, but not overbearing.

“Fuck me, is **_that_** how is sounded?”  Luna suddenly seemed very aware of the small amount of distance between herself and Alex, who had just minutes ago been talking about killing an alligator with nothing but a knife small enough to hide in a boot.  “I promise, I’m not that bitch.  You gorgeous ladies do you.  I was just … the whole poly thing is still a little weird to me, I guess.  But I didn’t mean to insult any of you.  Really I didn’t.” 

“Geez, Luna.  And here I thought you were cool,” Kate snarked.  Kara shot her a disapproving look.

“It’s okay, Luna!  Our relationships—heck, even the abstract concept of our relationships—aren’t something that you’ve ever really been exposed to.  Of course your brain would have trouble trying to understand fully.  I don’t think you were **_trying_** to be rude, just … think before you say something silly next time, okay?”  Kara Zor-El Danvers, always looking to give people the benefit of the doubt.  She shared a small smile with Luna, who looked both guilty and reassured.

“Thanks, Kara.  You really are a ray of sunshine, huh?”

“That she is,” Sam confirmed.  “But Lena and I definitely are not, so don’t fuck with us.”

“Noted.”  

“Hey Sam?  If you’re done arguing with my less than woke friend, could you please let me know how much further we have to kayak before the drinking can begin anew?”  Lena agreed fully with Maggie’s sentiment.  Sam, however, immediately began to look around with a worryingly confused expression on her face.  Then she stared down at her map and compass. 

 _I swear by all that is holy, if Sam got us lost …_ Lena had helped Sam with the planning as necessary, but the kayaking was something she hadn’t been looped in on.  If she had been, she would have invested in some sort of serious GPS navigation device.  Sam insisted she could get them through with a paper map and compass.  However, she seemed to very much be floundering right now. 

“Samantha, love, do we have a problem?”  Sam did not look up from the map, and Lena could tell from her face that she was more embarrassed than she was deep in thought.  Lena glanced around, and it was immediately clear that she wasn’t the only one worried.  Everyone had a look of concern on the face, and one by one, they each turned to look expectantly at Alex.  If anyone could get them home, it was the intrepid, do-everything DEO badass.

Except it was Kate who spoke up.  “We’re over halfway through the rough oval Sam planned out.  We keep heading west, we should find out way back.  I can keep checking with the navigational device in my watch just to be sure.  It’ll be fine, no one freak out.” 

“You have a navigational device **_in your watch_**?!” Lena wasn’t at all surprised, based on what she had learned about Kate so far.  But clearly Luna was.

“I’m ex-military and stupid rich— ** _of course_** I have fancy navigational technology in my watch.”  Kate shrugged it off like it should’ve been obvious.  The woman was a grab bag of mystery and intrigue.  Lena couldn’t wait to spend the next several months pumping Maggie for more insight about her.  For now, she was just glad at least one person knew how to get them back to the kayak dock.

Then, just before they all started paddling again, the funniest comment of the day came from Kara, of all people.  “Wow Maggie, you **_so_** have a type.”


	47. Grrlspot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last night of the bachelorette trip. The group hits an all-queer-lady night club scene.

** Chapter 47 **

“This place is incredible!”  Alex and Sam were standing close enough to each other that Alex didn’t have to shout all that much over the pumping bass of the so-called ‘90s hip-hop jamz.’  Her compliment sent a thrill through Sam’s spine.  Out of all her plans, this was the one she was least sure of, but most proud.  Kayaking yesterday had been an adventure, and burlesque that night had been a thrill.  But this was something different.  Unique.  All around them, a crowd almost exclusively made up of queer women danced and talked and partied in the dark space that was usually an art gallery.  “What even is this, really?  How is it that you found a night club just for queer women?”

“Hah!”  Sam grinned at Alex.  “Actually, this isn’t a night club.  It’s an art gallery.”  Alex’s eyes widened in surprise, then shifted back and forth as her lips pursed in astonishment. “There’s this group called Grrlspot that hosts a pop up lesbian bar slash queer dance party, once a month.  They do it in all kinds of different spaces.  I ummm may or may not have planned our trip around tonight, so I’m beyond relieved that you think it’s cool.”

“Of **_course_** it’s cool Sam!”  Alex looked at her like she was crazy for having been worried in the first place.  “I’ve never been around this many people like me in my entire life.” 

“Maggie certainly seems to be enjoying it!”  Maggie and Luna were out on the makeshift dance floor, pressed closely to a number of other ladies all around them as Salt-N-Pepa blared through the speakers placed strategically around the room.  The space was dark, save for the plethora of spotlights, blacklights, and other colourful light up displays scattered around the room.  The lighting worked perfectly for Luna, revealing a fine layer of body glitter coating her warm brown skin. 

Out of nowhere, Kate appeared by Sam’s side and said, “Boo,” causing Sam to jump several inches into the air.  It was as if she had simply materialized out of the shadows. 

“ ** _Jesus_** , Kate.  What the honest fuck?!”

“What?  I’m just standing here.”  She winked mischievously at Alex, her pale skin almost glowing in the club lights. 

“Your skin is like a sexy neon sign in here!  How the fuck did you sneak up on me?!”

Kate walked around to the other side of the small table Alex and Sam were standing around.  “Did you hear that, Danvers?  Tall, dark, and gorgeous thinks I’m sexy.”

“You know she’s dating my sister, right?”  Alex raised an eyebrow in a look of faux judgment. 

Kate didn’t take the bait, taking a sip of her drink before leaning across the table so she didn’t have to yell.  “Yeah well, she’s also dating Lena fucking Luthor, so excuse me if I try to throw my hat in the ring.”  She got a devious look in her eye.  “Speaking of, where are Luthor and the human ray of sunshine?”

“Kate, you’re adorable, in your own creepy way, but I already told you the ring is closed.  No more hats for the foreseeable future.”  She rolled her eyes.  “And I’m sure Kara and Lena are around here somewhere, don’t you worry.” 

“So, how’d you find this place anyway?”  Alex’s tone made it very clear she was done with Kate’s shenanigans.

“Honestly, I just googled ‘lesbian bar in New Orleans.’  Turns out the only actual lesbian bar near here closed a while back, but this whole Grrlspot thing has really taken off lately.” 

“It’s fucking awesome!”  Alex was positively radiating enjoyment.

“What’s not to love about a popup queer girl party.  Women are awesome.”  Kate checked out a couple of girls walking by, hand-in-hand.  “Am I right?”

Alex’s eyes followed Maggie’s movements out on the dance floor as she agreed, “They sure are.”

“Heaven really **_is_** a place on Earth.”  Sam knew Kara would be mad at her for making a _San Junipero_ reference without her.  Especially when Kate made it clear that she didn’t get it.

“Belinda Carter?  Really?”  Sam’s eyes widened.  She shouldn’t have been as surprised as she was, but maybe Kara was rubbing off on her.  Before meeting her, Sam probably wouldn’t have had half the (adult) television knowledge that she now did.  _Oh shit, have I been domesticated?_

“Okay so first of all, it’s Belinda **_Carlisle_** , and yes, but I was actually referencing _San Junipero_ , aka the gayest episode of _Black Mirror_ ever.  Also the only one with a happy ending.  As the lesbians ride off together in a sexy red convertible, the song plays them out.”  Kate made a face as if that sounded like something she might actually want to check out, but then Alex made an unusual noise, drawing Sam’s attention.  She was biting her lip and gazing down at her phone. 

“I uhhh … gotta …”  She didn’t bother finishing her excuse as she walked away from them, a slight skip in her step.  Kate moved closer so it would be easier to talk.  They both glanced at the dance floor, where Luna was now alone in the middle of three other women, their bodies in tight formation as they moved against each other rhythmically with the beat.  Maggie was nowhere to be seen.

“Looks like your girlfriends aren’t the only ones finding a quiet spot where they can get busy tonight.”  Sam narrowed her eyes at Kate, but otherwise didn’t respond.  She knew for a fact that Kara and Lena had been in the bathroom together for the last nine minutes and counting, but fortunately Kara had left her overly large purse with the alien booze behind with Sam. 

Kate moved in even closer, till her upper arm was pressed firmly against Sam’s.  She was worried that Kate was going to keep trying to make a pass at her, but the next words out of the heiress’s mouth were as far away from what Sam expected as possible.  “So, do you and Blondie ever fuck while flying?”  For the first in her life, Sam did a literal spit take, before turning a scolding, wide-eyed look of incredulity on Kate.

“You mean … like the mile high club?  In the plane bathroom?”  Sam did her best to hide the shock and suspicion she was feeling behind a mask of embarrassment.  Based on the way Kate moved a little closer as her face broke out into a huge shit-eating grin, she wasn’t buying it.

“I mean, I’ll take that story too, but no, I was talking about when you and she are flying around in the sky in those sexy ass bodysuits.  Are those all one piece or a top and pants?  Because I imagine it would be harder to fuck if it was all one piece.”  Kate winked.  “I do think Kara’s new look is a definite upgrade over the skirt though.”

Sam’s heart was pounding. _She definitely knows.  Fuck.  What do I do?  Can we really trust her?_   She decided to try to play dumb a bit longer, and see how things played out.  “Kate, what the fuck are you talking about?”

“Really, **_Power Girl_** , we’re going with the whole routine?  Whose idea was the corny name anyway?  ‘Reign’ was much cooler, even though I get why you would want to get away from it.”  Kate took another sip of her drink, then chuckled.  “Sam.  **_Relax_**.  Your secret is safe with me.  I just wanna shoot the shit, okay?  Plus I really need you to answer my questions.”  Changing tactics, Sam put on her best Lena Luthor business face, turning into Kate’s body contact and nonchalantly taking another drink.  _She’s going to have to prove I can trust her before I admit any of this.  That or Maggie and Alex are going to have to vouch for her.  My identity, **my daughter** , is too important._

“Fine, fine.  I get it.  Trust is tough, especially with something like this.  But let me ask you one other thing.  Did you actively try to copy my look or do you expect me to believe it’s pure coincidence that you went with black and red, including a thick red wig?”  This time, instead of spitting her drink, Sam choked on it.  Which Kate found uproariously funny.

“Okay but seriously, what the fuck are you talking about?”  This flirty interrogation had officially taken a legitimately confusing turn.  Unless …  “Hold on, are you trying to tell me that you’re one of those Gotham bat vigilantes?”  Kate looked at her as if Sam had just insulted her mother.  Or something.  Sam knew that a group of wealthy weirdos had taken it upon themselves to play guardian angels in Gotham while wearing black leather bat costumes, but the only one she knew anything about was the Batman, who was apparently the ringleader?  And she only knew that much because Kara’s cousin sometimes worked with the bat guy.

Kate glared at her.  “I’m not with them.  The whole bat thing was well-established when I got drawn into the whole vigilante thing, so I just went with it.  The fact that it really bothers Batman is just icing on the cake.  You really haven’t heard of Batwoman?”

“Sorry.  Hey, do you have any pictures?”

“First, you answer my question.”  Sam rolled her eyes but decided it wouldn’t hurt to indulge Kate a little.  “Let’s just say that when you can both move at superspeed, a one-piece bodysuit with a cape isn’t really much of an obstacle.” 

“Fuck yes, I knew I could get you to admit it.  By the way, Kara really should’ve gone with a cowl from day one.  Your disguise is good, but when you’re next to her it becomes pretty easy to guess that you’re Power Girl.  I had her pegged almost immediately, and I only got more curious when you both kept sneaking your own special booze out of that massive, completely out of place purse.  Because you’re both aliens, right?  Human booze doesn’t do it for you?”

“No it does not.”  Sam opened the purse just enough to flash the bottle.  “This is Almeracian vodka.  And you promised me a picture.”

“I absolutely did not.  Also, do you really think I would just carry pictures of my secret vigilante identity around in my phone?  Do I look like your girlfriend?”  Sam narrowed her eyes, and searched the internet for a photo herself.

“Oh!  I guess I see what you mean about the colour scheme.  Though I’ve got a lot more white.  Wow, this whole bat thing gives you a pretty sexy vampire aesthetic, you know?”

“I’m aware.  Also that’s like the fourth time you’ve called me sexy tonight.  You sure you don’t want a piece of this?”

“Wow, you never give up do you?”

“I really don’t.”

~~~~

“How have we never done this before?”  Kara’s hushed tones were really turning Lena on, almost as much as Kara’s hand under her skirt.  But even so, Lena made a slight face.  She didn’t know how to tell Kara that she and Sam had fooled around in no fewer than five restrooms since they started hooking up again.  “Lena!” Kara whisper-yelled.  “You and Sam have had bathroom sex, haven’t you?”  Lena nodded, hoping that she didn’t ruin her girlfriend’s suddenly frisky mood.  Kara wasn’t usually this spontaneous, and Lena was fucking loving it.  Fortunately, she had nothing to worry about.  “That is so sexy,” Kara purred.

Lena was pressed against the cool surface of the wall in the corner stall of the surprisingly clean and stylish bathroom of the art gallery.  They had been out on the dance floor when Kara kissed her, slowly and purposefully, then leaned in and whispered in Lena’s ear to tell her how fantastic her body felt moving against Kara’s.  A raised eyebrow was the only response Kara had required to make a spontaneous decision, pulling Lena off the dance floor and into the bathroom.  Lena suspected Kara checked the space out with her x-ray vision before they entered, because she found herself whisked into the corner stall furthest from the door to the bathroom the second they entered the room.

Kara was pressed closely, her warm and vaguely citrusy scent flooding Lena’s senses and her nose nuzzled against Lena’s ear and hair.  Her hand kept moving upwards, taking the hem of her form-fitting, emerald dress with it, further and further up the inside of Lena’s thigh until Kara’s hand grazed teasingly through just the edge of Lena’s pubic hair as it continued up along her hip bone.  Lena bit her lip, her abs tightening at the slight tickle of Kara’s soft touch.  Kara’s voice was hot in her ear.  “You didn’t wear any underwear.”

“I wanted to see if you would figure it out,” Lena whispered.  Kara’s head pulled back slightly, so that she could look at Lena.  Kara’s normally bright blue eyes were dark with lust, and her soft pink lips twisted into an eager smile.  “I wanted to see if Kara Zor-El might be tempted to **_misbehave_**.”  Lena immediately received the reaction she was looking for, along with a bonus surprise.  Kara bit her lip, as desire flooded her wide eyes.  Before Lena could register that Kara’s hand was no longer on her hip, it was firmly between her legs.

“How’s this for misbehaving?” Kara gasped, as quietly as possible, before dragging her teeth gently along Lena’s neck.  Her body responded instinctively, back arching as she pressed herself, warm and wet, onto her Kara’s hand.  Kara’s hand hadn’t moved yet, waiting patiently as she drew soft kissing teasingly along the neckline of Lena’s one-shouldered dress. 

“Kara, please,” Lena begged hungrily.  Kara bit down on Lena’s collarbone, drawing a soft moan from her lips.  Then she slipped a single finger inside, watching as Lena’s cheeks warmed.  Lena bit her lip, pupils blow wide, eyes begging Kara for more.  Her palm moved against Lena, soft but firm, and Kara slipped a second, then third, finger inside.  Lena’s eyes closed as she enjoyed the sudden tightness inside of her, Kara’s fingers beginning to trace a path back and forth. 

Kara’s free hand cradled the back of Lena’s head, and the look in her eyes dared Lena not to break eye contact as the movements of Kara’s hand intensified.  As her wrist shifted slightly, Kara’s palm pressed down roughly against Lena’s clit, drawing a too-loud moan before Lena could stifle it.  Kara’s free hand instantly moved from behind Lena’s head to firmly over her mouth.  The blonde giggled as quietly as possible, but for Lena, the hand over her mouth added a whole new dimension to the sex.

Playfully, she tried out a soft moan into Kara’s hand, testing to see what she felt like she could get away with.  Kara’s eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed, her brows furrowing in a playful scold.  Lena tried to drag her teeth slightly along the inside of Kara’s hand, forcing Kara to press her to the wall a little more roughly, hand clamping down so that Lena couldn’t move her mouth at all.  It sent a wave of pleasure and arousal down Lena’s spine and into her gut.  Lena widened her eyes just enough so that Kara knew how much Lena was enjoying this, and she pressed harder against Kara’s hand, squeezing her fingers.  Lena could feel her arousal building steadily.

Lena grabbed onto Kara’s hips, grip tight as Kara’s fingers pumped steadily.  Her breathing sped up as her body tensed in preparation for what was about to happen.  Light waves of pleasure began to dance and radiate out through her body.  Kara could sense that Lena was close, so she adjusted her hand ever so slightly, allowing her thumb to vibrate ( _Rao bless Kryptonian biology_ ) against Lena’s clit as the tips of her fingers curled just so inside of Lena.  Just like that, the orgasm blossomed in Lena’s center and ripped through her entire body.  Her hips bucked against Kara’s hand, while Kara’s other hand only just barely stifled the low sounds of pleasure escaping her throat.  

Kara moved the hand over Lena’s mouth, but not the one between her legs, which were now shaking slightly.  Kara pressed her cheek to Lena’s as she whispered huskily into her ear, “Breathe, Lena.  I’m not done with you yet.”  Lena hummed her approval.  This was a side of Kara she didn’t see very often, and she was damn well going to enjoy every fucking minute of it.  “I really want to go down on you, but what if someone looks down at the bottom of the stall and sees me?”  Her whisper was thick with desire but tempered slightly by a sudden reappearance of her nerves.

“Is that really going to stop you, darling?”  Lena pushed Kara’s hair aside and took her earlobe between her teeth, then slid her tongue along the edge of Kara’s ear.  “Especially when you know how **_desperately_** I want your head between my legs?”  A slight shudder passed through Kara, and as she looked back at Lena, it was very clear that no amount of nerves was going to hold her back in this moment.

A wide smirk broke out across her face as she slid to her knees.  _Good thing Kara wore pants tonight._ Kara lifted Lena’s left leg up, draping it over her shoulder as she trailed kisses up Lena’s thigh.  Then the door to the bathroom slammed open loudly, startling them both.  Kara looked up at Lena, who pressed a finger to her lips.  They heard the sounds of one or two people shuffling into the bathroom, pausing, and then practically crashing into the stall one over from them.  Kara and Lena exchanged confused looks as the sounds of hushed laughter and … kissing? … drifted over from the other stall.  Then Lena heard a voice, whispered but audible.  And quite distinctive.

“Fuck me, Danvers, you sure know how to touch a girl.”  This statement was followed immediately by a low growl.  Lena grinned.  _Looks like we’re not the only ones in this bachelorette party feeling frisky._

Before Lena could stop her, Kara called out, “Maggie?”  The sounds from the other stall ended abruptly, with one or the other of Alex and Maggie shushing the other. 

Then Alex’s voice called back, sounding more than a little wary, “Kara?!” 

Maggie followed that up with a giggly, “No offense, L’il Danvers, but you gotta get the fuck outta here.  We need a little privacy.”  Alex and Kara both groaned in unison.  Lena’s leg was still draped over Kara, and she could feel Kara's breath on her still wet skin. 

“Sorry Maggs, but we’re a bit busy here.  Could you come back in another, oh, let’s say five to ten minutes?”  She had to fight to keep herself from giggling.  Lena found the whole situation contradictorily arousing and awkwardly hilarious.  Kara practically shrank from embarrassment the minute she realized Alex and Maggie now knew that both of them were in the stall together, and from the sound of it, Alex did too.

Meanwhile, both Maggie and Lena were having fun with it.  “No can do, L’il Luthor.  I’m horny and drunk, and you know what?  This is **_my_** bachelorette party, so I’m gonna have to pull rank here and ask that you kindly get the fuck out before my fiancée gets any more embarrassed and awkward than she already is.”

Lena smirked, pulling Kara to her feet.  “Guess I can’t argue with that.  Besides—” Kara immediately shook her head, begging Lena not to push the awkwardness any further, but Lena just couldn’t help herself, “—I at least got one good orgasm out of this already.”  Alex and Kara both groaned, again in unison.  Kara’s face was a bright red at this point.  “I **_am_** a bit thirsty now.”  She led Kara out of the stall, tapping a quick playful pattern on Maggie and Alex’s stall door on her way by.  “Have fun you two.”

~~~~

“Hey there, love.”  Lena sidled up to Sam, looking quite pleased with herself.  Sam’s keen nose detected all the delightful indicators that Lena and Kara had just been making love, probably in the bathroom.  In particular, the lavender notes distinctive to Lena were mixed pleasantly with Kara’s more citrus tones. 

She leaned in close, wrapping an arm around Lena and kissing her cheek before whispering in her ear, “Did you two have fun?”  Lena grinned at her, then responded loudly enough that Kate could hear her too.

“Quite.  Though … we would’ve had a **_bit_** more fun if we hadn’t been interrupted by our lusty bachelorettes.”  Sam rolled her eyes.

“Well, maybe I will just have to take care of that myself, a little later.” 

“Okay wow,” Kate snarked.  “I can’t believe you two are just openly discussing your sexual escapades right in front of me.  I love it.  But also, where did Kara go after Maggie and Alex kicked you out of the bathroom?”

“Oh, she was super embarrassed and immediately went to go dance with Luna so she could avoid being here while I told Sam about it.”  She pointed at the crowd.  “There she is.  Everyone wave.”  They all waved, and while Kara could obviously hear them, she kept her eyes firmly fixed in the opposite direction. 

“Is she really so embarrassed that she’s going to ignore us?  Is she always weird about sex?”  Sam and Lena immediately laughed in unison, and Sam was almost sure she caught Kara shooting them the briefest of stink eyes. 

Sam explained, “Not at all.  She **_loves_** talking about sex.  It’s just that Kara and Alex both get super weird about each other having sex.”

“It’s honestly the strangest thing.  Good thing she’s so damn adorable.”  Lena’s eyes narrowed.  “Katherine, what exactly did you mean when you said Kara is ignoring us?  She’s halfway across the room, and the music is quite loud.”  Sam winced.  There was a good chance death threats would follow Lena realizing that Kate knew about her and Kara’s alter egos.

“I mean she’s got like super hearing or whatever, right?”  Immediately, Kara was standing on the other side of Kate, concern written all over her face.  Lena was glaring daggers.  Sam sighed. 

“Stand down, ladies.  Yes, Kate knows.  But she’s not going to out us or anything.  Also she’s one of those Gotham bat people.”  Kara’s eyes widened, but Lena’s expression didn’t change.

“Wow, okay Sam.  I promise not to tell your secret to anyone, and you turn around and blab mine to your girlfriends the first chance you get?  I see how it is.”  She smirked, which Sam was starting to learn was par for the course with Kate.  “But seriously, is Lena about to try and murder me in the middle of this party or what?”

“Don’t think I won’t,” Lena threatened, her voice icy and menacing.  “I would do anything to protect Kara and Sam.”  Sam squeezed Lena’s hip, hoping to calm her down at least a little. 

“Not that I don’t find the whole intimidating Luthor thing sexy as hell, because I absolutely do, but as I told Sam while you and Kara were getting it on in the bathroom, I’ve got secrets of my own.  And I’m a big fan.  I’m not any danger to your girls.”  Kate put an arm around Kara’s shoulders, seeing if she could get away with it.  “Besides, I face people trying to maim and kill me on a regular basis already.  I’m not about to put myself on the shit list of a Luthor, two supers, a black ops agent, and the best detective I know.”

Kara didn’t shrug off the contact from Kate, instead fixing her with her best Supergirl look.  “Kate, this is really important.  And I think we can trust you.  You’re a good person, even if you have questionable taste in vigilante outfits.  Just remember, it isn’t only our lives at stake here.  Knowing our secret identities is a heavy burden.  Please don’t let us down, okay?”

“Sure thing, Blondie.  But I’m pretty sure anyone with functioning eyes and half a brain can tell that Kara Danvers and Supergirl are the same person.  If your identity is that important, you should really do something more drastic than throwing on a pair of spectacles.”  Kate turned flirtatiously to get a little closer to Kara, taking a golden lock of hair and twirling it around her finger.  “Now, tell me all about your little encounter with Luthor in the bathroom.  Was it hot?”

Kara’s mouth opened wide, then she mumbled, “Okay bye,” and took off for the dance floor again. 

“That was way too easy,” Kate called after her, earning a chuckle from Sam.  Kate turned back to Sam and Lena.  “What did she mean ‘questionable taste in outfits?’  I look incredible in black leather.”

Sam looked her up and down, then traded a look with Lena.  They both shrugged.  “Yeah, you probably do.  But I think she's talking more about the whole bat motif than the stylized black and red leather.”

Kate scoffed.  “Whatever.  If ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  The criminals of Gotham are freaked out by it, and that’s what really matters.”

Lena raised an eyebrow.  “Is it, really?  Terrifying street thugs is actually effective in lowering crime in Gotham?  Or do you just get off on making bad men wet themselves?”

“Aw come on, Luthor.  Can’t it be both?”  Kate flashed them an impressively genuine smile, without a single hint of sarcasm.

Sam laughed.  “Wow.  Kate, I think you might be certifiable, but I kinda like it.  I’m glad we got to meet.”

“Finally, I’m making some progress.  What do ya say, Lena?  Can I trade ya Luna for Sam for the night?”

Lena rolled her eyes.  “I’m not going to dignify that with a response.”

“Don’t push your luck, Kate.”  Sam gestured back towards the bathrooms.  “Now, Maggie and Alex are about to come out.  Let’s great them properly.”  As the bachelorettes walked out, noticeably satisfied looks on both of their faces, Sam, Lena, and Kate broke out in uproarious cheering and applause.  Alex immediately turned beet red, but Maggie took a bow for the crowd, milking the attention for all it was worth. 


	48. What Does the Future Hold?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SuperReignCorp morning fluff scene, set the morning after the Sanvers wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) This is a short chapter, but I've got more coming. Hopefully by the end of the chapter, you'll see why I kept it short.
> 
> 2) Speaking of the end, I'm finally starting the final big arc of this story. It's been a crazy journey. Hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you enjoy this.

** Chapter 48 **

Kara was half-awake, but in no way interested in getting out of bed anytime soon.  She was on her back, perfectly sunken into the insanely comfortable mattress Lena had bought when she got the king-size bed for the penthouse.  The cool fabric of the bamboo sheets felt incredible against the warmth of her naked skin.  The bedroom was still mostly dark, thanks to Lena’s blackout curtains across the floor-to-ceiling windows of their bedroom.  _Speaking of Lena_ …  The bed was warm to her left but cool to her right.  Sam was snuggled up against her left hip, still breathing steadily in her sleep.  But Lena had slipped out of bed already.

Kara glanced over and found a lime green post-it on the nightstand. As she stretched languidly, careful not to disturb Sam too much, she reached her arm out and plucked the small note from its perch.  In Lena’s perfect, almost calligraphic handwriting was written a simple “Love you xoxo.”  A bright smile spread across her face, matching the warm feeling of adoration that blossomed in her chest. 

Happiness.  Bliss.  Comfort.  **_Home_**.  Kara felt as if she was surrounded on all sides by the warm embrace of a perfect bubble of contentment.  She loved all the little things the most.  A note with sweet nothings on it.  The faint smell of Sam’s shampoo in her nostrils as she slowly woke up in the morning.  Lena taking her hand unexpectedly, just because.  The way Sam’s face scrunched up exactly the same way every time Ruby made an off-colour remark about Kara and Sam’s displays of affection around the house.  The brilliant look on Alex’s face as she said, “I do,” to Maggie Sawyer.  Kara sighed happily.

A quick glance of her x-ray vision told her Lena was working diligently in her home office.  _Such a workaholic_.  Alex and Maggie got married last night, and the after party got pretty crazy.  As she remembered the previous night, two thoughts crossed Kara’s mind.  First, she couldn’t remember a time when her life was filled with this much overwhelming and unadulterated joy, on basically all fronts.  Her sister was married to a beautiful, devoted partner.  Her girlfriends were safe and happy and loved her tremendously.  She was thriving at her job.  After Krypton, Kara could never have imagined that she would ever be able to find even half this much happiness in her life. 

Her second thought was how in the heck did Lena not have a raging hangover after last night?  The woman was a marvel in a way Kara, even with all the gifts provided by her Kryptonian physiology, could hardly fathom.  But just then, Sam began to stir beside her.  Kara wrapped her arms around the brunette, just as one soft brown eye, still hazy with sleep, eased itself open to look at her. 

“Good morning, gorgeous.”  The corner of Sam’s lips turned up slightly, but half her face remained buried in her pillow.  Kara moved a hand softly across Sam’s cheek and through her hair, and Sam hummed into the touch. 

“Morning,” she croaked out in response.  “Where’s Lena?”

“Working, of course.”  Sam rolled her eyes, lifting her head off the pillow and propping it up on one arm. 

“She’s such a beautiful weirdo.”

Kara giggled.  “I know, right?”  Sam sat up further, sheet falling away from her as her arms rose in the air into a long and full stretch.  Kara didn’t realize she was staring until Sam pursed her lips and raised an eyebrow. 

“You make the most adorable face when you’re in awe of how hot I am,” Sam quipped.  Kara blushed, but reached out a hand anyway, tracing a finger along Sam’s collarbone, then down her chest, over the swell of her right breast, and to the side along her hip.  Sam’s skin was so soft and smooth and radiant. 

“Sorry, you’re just really, **_distractingly_** attractive.”  Sam stretched again, this time reaching a hand out to cradle the back of Kara’s head as she finished.  She pulled Kara just close enough to plant a kiss on her forehead.

“Last night got crazy.”  Kara moved so that she could lean back against Sam, who kept stroking her hair.

“Yeah.  But the ceremony was so lovely.”  Lena had rented out this quaint little Italian-style villa in downtown National City for the wedding and reception.  There had only been maybe fifty people, and it had been a gorgeous space for the intimate gathering.  Both bridal parties were in grey tuxes, with Kara, Sam, and Vasquez in deep purple ties and Lena, Luna, and Kate in powder blue ties.  Alex and Maggie were in black tuxes (white was really not their colour, they insisted), with patterned ties.  Alex’s was purple with subtle white polka dots, whereas Maggie’s was a blue herringbone pattern.  Kara’s favourite local string quartet had played the ceremony, which was short but sweet.  J’onn had officiated, in formal Martian robes (he changed into a suit for the reception). 

The ceremony had taken all of thirty minutes, followed by thirty minutes of ‘happy hour’ before dinner.  The reception (or after party, as Maggie insisted on calling it), on the other hand, lasted another five or six hours as they partied into the night.  “If we’re gonna reminisce,” Sam whispered, “let’s have some coffee and force our girlfriend to put a pause on her oh so important business.”  Kara was hesitant to move from her comfortable spot against Sam’s perfect body, but coffee **_did_** sound lovely.  And she wanted to kiss Lena pretty badly.  Kara squeezed Sam’s thigh, then got out of bed, grabbing each of them a fuzzy robe.  “I’ll brew the coffee; you get the girl.”

Sam placed her hands on Kara’s hips from behind, guiding her out of the bedroom and down the hall.  Kara peeled off at the door to Lena’s office, but not before Sam gave her ass a squeeze that drew a surprised squeal as she opened the door.  Kara glared at Sam, who winked, before turning in to see that Lena was laughing at her.  “I see you’re **_both_** awake then?”

“Sam’s making coffee,” Kara explained, then noticed the mug on Lena’s desk.  “ ** _More_** coffee, I guess.  You’re going to come hang out with us now.  Your work isn’t **_that_** important.”  Kara reached down to pull Lena up out of her chair, but instead, Lena wrapped her arms around Kara’s waist and pulled her down into her lap. 

“Oh yes?  And are you going to make me?”  Lena grinned at Kara, hands on her sides in a clear threat to engage tickling.  Rather than employ force, Kara elected to go with a much more effective tactic, leveling her most devastating pout at Lena.  Her girlfriend immediately cracked, sighing as she wrapped her arms further around Kara and squeezed her tightly.  “Oh fine.”  They got up together, and Kara led them into the kitchen.

“Your note was an adorable way to stay the morning, creampuff.”  Lena smiled brightly.

“Coffee’s almost ready, Kar, “called out Sam.  “What note?”

“Oh **_Rao_**.”  Kara had gotten distracted by Sam’s naked form and soft skin and forgotten to show her the note Lena left for them.  She retrieved the post-it with her superspeed, then stuck it playfully to Sam’s butt, in retaliation for Sam’s early ass grabbing.  Her only reaction, however, was to laugh at Kara’s antics, then pull the note from her ass, tenderly sticking it to the otherwise spotless fridge as she read it.

“Ooooooo, look at this, babe.  Lena **_loooooooves_** us,” Sam teased, making childish kissy noises in Lena’s general direction as she carried Kara’s and her mugs to the dining room table.  Then she grabbed Lena’s empty mug and topped it off before plopping down next to her. 

“Just so we’re clear, darling, I’m going to completely ignore, well, all of that.”

“You’re no fun.  You know I’m hilarious.  That’s why you **_loooooooooove_** me.”  Sam dug her elbow playfully into Lena’s side.  Kara stayed out of it, content to sip her coffee and watch her girlfriends being just way too cute.

“Anyway,” Lena emphasized, “are Sanvers on their way yet?”  Kara glanced over at the clock on the wall above the liquor cabinet. 

“Yup, they should already be in the air on their way to Madrid.”  She frowned.  “I can’t believe they left so quickly.  You think they even slept last night?”  A devious glint immediately sprung to the eyes of both women across the table from her, and Kara groaned.  “Not what I meant!”

“But now you’re totally picturing it, aren’t you?”  Kara felt her nose crinkle as her brain tried to revolt against her, creating imagined images she **_definitely_** did not want to picture.

“Shuuuut uuuup, Sam!”

“There there, let her be,” Lena cajoled, reaching across the table to take Kara’s hand.  “But, speaking of sexy, should we talk about Samantha’s decision to strategically lose her shirt and tie—and bra, I have to assume—in the middle of the afterparty?”  Lena glanced sideways at her.  “I didn’t just dream that, right?”

“I got hot, okay?”  The mischievous smirk Sam was failing to keep off of her face said otherwise.  “Don’t pretend you didn’t **_love_** it.  That tux jacket was perfectly fitted anyway, and Ruby had already left.”  She winked at Kara.  “I was feeling feisty.”

“Yes, darling, you made that very clear on the dance floor the rest of the night.  I think you might have embarrassed Eliza a bit.”  Kara blushed as she remembered how … **_risqué_** some of Sam’s dance moves had been last night. 

“Yes, because **_I_** was the one who basically gave Kara a lap dance in the middle of the crowd on the dance floor.”  This time, Kara giggled.  They had all gotten pretty crazy last night, drunk on both booze and happiness.  Come to think of it, they should all probably be more hungover than they were.  And yet, here they were, bathed in the mid-morning sunlight, blissfully enjoying delicious coffee together.  

“I just can’t quite believe that my sister is actually married.”  Kara was a little in awe of it.  “Like … Maggie’s basically my **_sister_** now.”  Sam and Lena seemed much less amazed than Kara, both just shrugging into their coffee. 

“Is it really all that different than things were two days ago?” Sam asked.  Kara gasped.  Sam wasn’t being dismissive at all, Kara could tell by the sincerity in her voice.  And she had a point, Kara supposed. 

“I guess not?  Probably it’s just a cultural difference.  Like … on Krypton, marriage was this huge thing—but that was because it represented the joining of great Houses.  The sorts of long-term romantic relationships people prioritize here on Earth didn’t have to result in marriage.  Actually, I guess most of them probably weren’t marriages at all.”  Kara paused, considering the differences.  “I hadn’t really thought about marriage at all until all this wedding stuff.  I never really imagined that any of us would actually get married, formally speaking.”

Lena smiled softly, her pale green eyes doing that cute calculating thing where she considered a new piece of information for the first time.  Sam, on the other hand, was suddenly much stiffer than she was before, and she wouldn’t meet Kara’s eyes.  Instead she looked out the window, off into the distance, as if trying to mentally escape the conversation.  Kara used her superspeed to appear in front of Sam, who didn’t move even though she had to have seen Kara coming.  “Hey.”  Kara put a hand softly to Sam’s cheek, and she finally met Kara’s gaze.  “What’s up?”

Sam’s soft brown eyes filled with a flavor of worry that Kara hadn’t seen before.  Lena was watching patiently from just behind Sam, tentatively reaching out a hand to rub her back.  Sam’s mouth twitched a little around the edges before she finally spoke up.  “I don’t know I guess I just … well … fuck this is awkward.  Marriage is just a really weird topic when it comes to the three of us, you know?  And we’ve never really talked about it.  And …”

“And you’re the newest person to this relationship, relatively speaking, and you are concerned about where you might fit in the future?”  Lena finished for her, and the sad face Sam made was all the confirmation Kara needed.

“Hey!” Sam turned back to Kara, who surprised her with a firm kiss.  “We’re not going anywhere.  And I don’t care one bit about Earth legal customs.  We’re in this together.”  She grabbed Sam’s hand, then extended her other to Lena.  “ ** _All_** of us.”  Sam’s face brightened a little, her lips moving towards a smile.

“What I was trying to say—or what I was getting around to eventually, I guess—is that I never really imagined myself getting married.  Not … not after Krypton, anyway.”  She was suddenly distinctly aware of that same little hole in her heart, the Krypton-shaped one that would never go away no matter how much love she had in her life.  A tear escaped her eye.  Then warm arms embraced her as Sam and Lena surrounded her.  Krypton was gone, and some part of her would always miss it—her people, her culture—but this was her home now.  Sam and Lena were more a home to her than Krypton ever was.  She held them tightly.

“I love you.  **_Both_**.”  A pair of hands found their way to her sides, and immediately Kara began to writhe as Lena tickled her.  “Nooooooo, Leeeeeena.”  Kara was up and away and on the other side of the room in a heartbeat.

“Wow, you guys are both saps,” Sam joked.  Her face was entirely changed.  Whatever worry she had before, it was gone now.  “Here, let me top off everyone’s coffee, then let’s sit out on the balcony for a bit.”

The sun felt amazing on Kara’s skin.  She knew Sam felt it too.  Kissing Lena on the cheek, Kara wished that she could experience this feeling too.  “Anyway.  I just mean … I don’t know what the future holds, but I can’t imagine my future without both of you in it.  My home isn’t a place, it’s you.  It’s **_both_** of you.  And Alex.  And Maggie.  And Ruby.  And Eliza.  And J’onn… anyway, I’m rambling, and you get the picture.  Sorry for freaking you out, Sam.  I didn’t mean to.  Just … thinking out loud.”

“It’s fine, Kara.  I shouldn’t have …  I know that you both love me, in your own ways.  I shouldn’t have assumed I’d get left behind.”  Lena wrapped an arm around Sam.

“Of course you won’t, dummy.  Hell, I’ve known you much longer than Kara.  Obviously, we’d kick her to the curb if we decided to be boring monogamous people again.”  Kara narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, huffing before she turned away from them dramatically.  Unfortunately, they didn’t take the bait. “I mean, especially now that you have all her powers and stuff…”  Both their arms wrapped around her at the same time.  Lena had continued the joke only long enough for them to sneak up on her, and Kara had been so focused on playing as if she was pouting that she wasn’t paying attention. 

“You’re not getting away from us, Blondie.  We’re kind of big fans.”  Kara turned back to them, but kept her face firmly fixed in a hardcore pout.  “Awww Lee, you hurt our girl’s feelings.  Better make it up to her somehow.”

An impish grin broke out across Lena’s face, and she stood.  “I wonder how I might do that, Samantha.”  She slowly and deliberately slipped one leg, then the other, over Kara’s lap, so that she was straddling her.  “Kara?”  Lena leaned in so that their noses were touching.  “Do you have any ideas?”

Kara was distracted from her pouting routine by the way she could almost taste Lena’s lips, so very close to her own.  “Ummm… I … you could just …”  Lena kissed her before she could attempt to finish what was left of the thought.  Her lips closed firmly around Kara’s, and her tongue gently moved along the inside of her top lip as it traced a path towards her tongue.  Lena’s center pressed down firmly against Kara’s body as she straddled her, and Kara wrapped her arms around Lena to hold her as closely as possible.  Lena withdrew her tongue so that she could take Kara’s bottom lip in between her teeth, which drove Kara wild with desire.

Then Kara’s phone rang.  In the tone that was exclusively for major DEO emergencies.  “Fuck,” Lena grumbled, and Kara picked her up and set her gently down in her own chair before answering the phone.

“This better be goo—”

“Kara!”  Lucy’s voice was firm, but with an edge of panic.  Kara’s heart immediately began to pound.  She had never heard her like this.  “This is an emergency.  Turn on the news right fucking now.  Then get to the DEO immediately.”  Lucy hung up, as if for emphasis, and now Kara was legitimately terrified.  She was inside the penthouse and had the television on less than a second after Lucy hung up.  Sam and Lena were right behind her.  Kara turned to the local news, and her heart sank.  The words on the chyron towards the bottom of the screen would be forever burned into her memory, because they signaled the most dramatic change in her life since Krypton died.

**BREAKING NEWS: SUPERGIRL IDENTITY REVEALED TO BE CATCO REPORTER KARA DANVERS.**


	49. Lucy with a Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All hands on deck to deal with the bombshell that was just dropped in the news. Good thing Director Lane has a plan.

** Chapter 49 **

_I’m going to kill her._ Lena couldn’t even begin to process the storm of emotions swirling within her.  She couldn’t imagine what Kara was going through.  She had been completely silent since they turned on the TV and saw the news.  Lucy and J’onn had met them as they entered the DEO, and Power Girl flew in a few minutes later (so that no one would guess she had been with Lena and Kara).  Even now, the video was playing on a nearby TV.

Lillian’s face nearly filled the screen.  Her normally icy features were softer than usual, her rigid expression relaxed into a (no doubt faked) modicum of emotional appeal.  This was not her mother’s real face, but rather a façade she had implemented expertly to manipulate the public’s opinion.  As Lillian explained, through strained voice and barely held back fake tears, Supergirl was a liar.  A manipulator who had tricked the public and used her superhero status to advance her ‘human’ career as a reporter.  Who had brainwashed and turned Lillian’s own daughter against her.  An alien pretending to be human and toying with the people around her like playthings.  The warning with which she finished the video was perhaps the most chilling part, if only because Lena knew there was a truth to it that even Lillian wasn’t aware of.  “If this Kryptonian, who sees herself as a goddess, can hide in plain sight, manipulating the biggest media corporation in National City to propagate her pro-alien ideology, how many others of these aliens are pretending to be human in order to gain positions of power and manipulate our own society against us?  Cadmus will not stand for it, and we call upon the people to rise up and stand with us in defense of humanity.” 

Lillian had released the video through one of the Cadmus broadcasts that morning, but it had been corroborated by an exclusive package of evidence provided to Channel 3 KPJT News.  There was more than enough photographic evidence that there was no way Kara could believably deny the truth of the allegations.   There were photos of Kara opening her shirt to reveal the suit.  Photos of Alex with Kara compared to photos of Alex with Supergirl.  Interviews with local waiters who could point out how much food Kara consumed.  Even interviews with a couple of CatCo employees about Kara’s mysterious disappearances from work.  And now everyone had the story.

“ ** _No_**.  Absolutely not, Alex.  I don’t need you.  This is a PR issue, not an ‘Alex beats up the people who are mean to me’ issue.  You enjoy your honeymoon.”  Kara’s voice sounded surprisingly under control, but Lena suspected she was putting on a front for Alex.  “Yes, I’m okay.  I’ve got Lena and Sam, and Power Girl will help too, if necessary.  Yes, I’m at the DEO.  No, I don’t know how we’re going to handle this yet.”  Kara sighed, and their eyes met briefly.  Lena gave her an encouraging smile.  “Alex, I’ve gotta go.  Lucy and I will figure this out, okay?  **_Promise me_ ** that you will stay in Europe and do the whole backpacking extravaganza.  You and Maggie deserve it.”  Kara hung up, shoulders slumping in exasperation.

“Lena, what am I going to do?”

“You’re damn well going to get in front of this,” came the emphatic answer from Lucy.  She had given Kara her space when Alex called, but now she was back in full director mode.  “Come on, this isn’t a conversation to have in the middle of the DEO.”  Kara, Lena, Power Girl, and J’onn followed her into a nearby conference room, and J’onn hit the button on the panel by the door to make the glass walls opaque.  Everyone sat at the table, and Sam took a seat close beside Kara, since everyone in the room already knew her identity.  Lena was the only one who remained standing, too agitated to sit. 

This was too far.  Lillian had ruined her childhood, saddled her with an insane amount of insecurities and mental struggles, forced her to stay in the closet for years, dictated her life path, condescended to her, kidnapped her, and nearly killed her on a number of occasions.  But this was the final straw.  She had stolen Kara’s life from her.  Lena was confident—no, she **_knew_** —that they would figure this out, find a new way forward.  But this was unforgivable.  Worse.  Nearly everything Lillian did was unforgivable—she was more monster than person.  **_This_** , this was … something Lena couldn’t let go.  She **_was_** going to find Lillian, and put an end to her evil ways, one way or another.  But for now, Kara needed her.

“There’s really no way we can deny this?  Even if I—”

“Come on, J’onn.  You’ve seen the evidence.  Even if we put Kara Danvers and Supergirl in the same room together, no one is going to believe that it isn’t some sort of trick.”  Lena could see why J’onn was in charge of operations while Lucy handled administration and PR.  “Kara, you’ve got to—”

“Talk to Cat, I know.”

“Exactly.”  Her bold green eyes flashed with resolve.  The rest of them—and especially Kara and Lena—might feel lost at sea, but Director Lane was on a mission.  She seemed determined to set them on the right path.  “As soon as we get our stories straight here, you should head straight there.  I’m sure she’ll be expecting you.  Hell, I bet she’s already sent you no fewer than three text messages and a voice mail.”  The look on Kara’s face told Lena that Lucy was spot on.

“Okay, but what is the plan here?” Sam asked.  “Kara’s identity is out there.  There’s no shutting Pandora’s box, but we can’t just let Lillian’s bullshit go unchallenged.”

Lena stepped up to the table, slipping her hands under Kara’s cape to rest one on each shoulder.  “And we won’t.”  Kara looked up at her, a drop of adoration mixing into the cloud of fear in her eyes.  “Nothing changes, not really.  Supergirl is a hero.  A beacon of hope.  And now, the world can know what I’ve always known: the true hero isn’t the symbol, but the woman behind it.  Kara Zor-El Danvers can be a brighter symbol of hope than Supergirl ever was.”  The smile Kara flashed her was among the brightest Lena had ever seen, which was really saying something.  “And I’m sure Cat will make that very clear in any interview you have with her.”

“Cat!”  Worry flooded back into Kara’s eyes.  “What Lillian said.  She’s not wrong, you know?  It was dishonest of me to use Supergirl as a source.  What if I can’t be a reporter anymore?”

Sam wrapped Kara’s hand in her own.  “Don’t jump to conclusions.  That’ll be a conversation to have with Cat.”  Kara’s eyes widened as she turned to Sam.

“Sam!”  She turned frantically to J’onn and Lucy.  “We have to protect Sam and Ruby!  We have to be sure that Power Girl stays anonymous.”  Lena frowned.  Kara wasn’t thinking about the flip side of that coin either.  Public scrutiny into Kara’s life was about to explode.  It would be major news, to some a scandal even, that Supergirl was not only gay and in a long-term relationship with a Luthor, but that on top of that they also had a third girlfriend with a daughter.  Lena was accustomed to living in the public eye, but Kara, Sam, and Ruby were not.  Things were going to get so much worse before they got better, and they were going to need to really work their asses off to be able to keep Sam’s identity as Power Girl under wraps.  But that was a conversation for the three of them; one that did not include the DEO.

“We will,” Lucy promised.  “Sam, you should still be okay.  There’s never been anything to tie you to Power Girl unless someone was watching you thoroughly back when Reign was taking over your body periodically.  At this point, we’re pretty confident that no one outside of our inner circle did so.  Besides, Reign was always masked, and while it wasn’t nearly as good a disguise as Power Girl’s wig and cowl, no one was ever able to get a clear high-resolution photograph of Reign’s face anyway.  Your identity is as safe as it is going to be.  You just have to be extra diligent about conversations outside the DEO and the privacy of your own home, as well as how and when you change into your uniform.”  Lena opened the thick folder on the table in front of her, the one that Lena was only just now noticing she had been carrying with her the whole time.  “Now, let’s get into the specifics of what our response to this video is going to be.”

“What is that?” Lena asked immediately.

Lucy batted her eyelashes at Lena, then smirked.  “This is my ‘Supergirl’s identity has been revealed’ starter kit.  I’ve been working on it since I joined the DEO.”

“What?” Kara gasped.

“Sweetie, we all knew this day was coming.  Sure, we didn’t know it would be Lillian who outed you, but we’ve all been warning you about your disguise forever.  It was only a matter of time.  So, I made sure we would be prepared.”  Lena smiled at Lucy.  She hadn’t really had any occasion on which to work with the DEO’s human co-director, and she could see immediately that the woman was a marvel.  Cool under pressure, a brilliant tactician, and a calming presence.  She made a note to become better friends with the younger Lane when this was all over.

Lucy continued, “First, I’ve got all the legal documentation ready to go to have your public identity legally recognized as Kara Zor-El Danvers, a Kryptonian refugee on Earth and American citizen under the Alien Amnesty Act.”  She looked warmly at Kara.  “The paperwork just needs your signature, and I can handle the rest.  I took a guess and went with Kara Zor-El Danvers, but you can just be Kara Zor-El if you want.”

“No.”  Kara’s voice sounded genuinely confident, even bordering on hopeful, for the first time since the metaphorical bomb dropped.  “My name is Kara Zor-El Danvers.  Thank you, Lucy.”

“You’re welcome, Kara.  Once the paperwork is approved, you’ll need to get a new driver’s license and passport, but I’ll work to make sure that is all handled as efficiently as possible.  Next will be your interview with Cat.  We need to have a conversation about what you can and can’t talk about.”

 _Ah yes, we must protect the DEO’s secrets_.  Lena knew that Lucy needed to have this conversation, and she respected that, but it irked her a little even so.  Kara shouldn’t have to worry about protecting the DEO at a moment like this.  Her whole life was being turned upside down, and her focus should be on how she wanted to present herself to the public.  That and protecting her family.

“Obviously, your identity is out there, as is your relationship with Alex.  There will be some scrutiny on her and the capacity in which she works with Supergirl.  There is no official documentation anywhere that the Department of Extranormal Operations exists, because to anyone without top level security clearance—” Lucy rolled her eyes, “—and some friends and family, but shh don’t tell the President that, the DEO doesn’t legally exist.  As far as the public is concerned, Alex Danvers is part of a classified joint FBI and Homeland Security task force that aids and assists Supergirl when needed.  Feel free to talk about the personal aspects of working alongside your sister—I’m sure that will be lovely, Kara, and people will love it—but as far as the technical aspects of her job, everything is classified.  Don’t say anything more than that.

“Got it.”

“The letters ‘D,’ ‘E,’ and ‘O’ should never leave your lips in public, okay?  This is more important now than ever.”  Kara nodded solemnly.  “But the rest?  Your personal life—well it’s just that, **_personal_**.  You get to decide what you want to say and how you want to say it.  Just know that as far as I’m concerned, you don’t owe anyone anything.”

“And Kara, Lucy speaks for me and for the entire DEO when she says that,” J’onn added.  “Anything we can do to help you through this, short of revealing the DEO to the public, we will do.  You’ve more than earned it.”  Kara, Sam, and Lena all smiled warmly at the co-directors.

“Thanks guys.”  Kara’s voice sounded closer to tears than her eyes would tended to indicate just then.

“J’onn’s absolutely right.  And that brings us to the next part of my plan.  Lena, I’m hoping to get some big input from you on this.”  Lucy looked up at her, and Lena immediately knew what this was about.

“Security.”  Lucy nodded.  Lena frowned again, knowing that Kara wouldn’t like what she was about to say.  “Darling, we might have to give up the loft.”  Kara’s entire face dropped, but she didn’t say anything.  “I know.  It’s just … I don’t know yet what sort of paparazzi to expect, but it’s going to be a lot.  That building isn’t set up to deal with the comings and goings of the seedier members of the press, and that’s without even talking about actual threats on your life.”  Lena squeezed Kara’s shoulder gently.  “Building security at the penthouse is the best in the city at handling the many issues that spring up when you live in the public eye.  For now, it’s best that we stay there.”

Lena turned her gaze back to Lucy, who seemed legitimately bummed for Kara.  They all knew how much Kara loved the loft, which had been her home for nearly six years now.  Longer than she had known anyone in this room.  “Lucy, I’ve got my own well-vetted security company that I employ to protect me and my assets, but I’m assuming that Supergirl is an asset the DEO will want to be involved in protecting themselves, yes?”

“You’re damn right.  I’ll have Vasquez take point on this until Alex comes back, since you know she won’t let anyone else handle it once she’s here.  If you could just provide us with the contact information for your security company, Vasquez will handle everything else.  We’ll probably need to make some improvements to building security, and we’ll keep a couple of agents present on site at all times.” 

Lucy turned to Sam, who immediately stood up in anticipation of what Lucy was going to say.  “The answer is yes, Luce.  Whatever it takes to keep Ruby safe.  We just have to be subtle about it.”

J’onn took over the explanation at this point.  “We’re going to need to let a few more agents in on your secret identity.  It’s risky, but I can’t see a way around it.  It’s less risky than any other outcome.  Vasquez and I will find the right people for the job, but here’s what I want to do.  You can obviously take care of yourself, but I’d like to keep two plainclothes, undercover DEO agents on location at your house and at Ruby’s school at all times.  In fact, if you’re okay with it, I’d like to have at least one agent with eyes on Ruby at all times, just in case.” 

Sam looked confused.  “That seems like overkill, doesn’t it?  I mean, Kara’s the one whose identity was exposed, not me.  I want to keep Ruby safe, but is she really in that kind of potential danger?”  Lucy and J’onn both became noticeably more uncomfortable, and Kara looked like she was ready to go along with anything that would keep Ruby safe.  So, Lena had to be the one to explain the point that Sam was missing.

“Sam, love, Kara is now the biggest celebrity National City has ever seen.  I know you’re used to the level of paparazzi and media scrutiny that I’m under, but that’s nothing at all compared to what is about to happen.  There’s no way we’re going to be able to keep it a secret that you and Kara are a couple.”  Realization dawned on Sam’s face.  “The public won’t know that Ruby’s mom is Power Girl—” she glared daggers at Lucy and J’onn, “—and it damn well better stay that way.  But they will know that Ruby’s mom is in a polyamorous, queer relationship with both Supergirl and Lena Luthor.  That’s a near certainty.  Life’s about to get a lot harder for the girl, and yes, that means she will be a target.”  Lena reached over and stroked Sam’s cheek.  “I think J’onn’s plan here is for the best.”

As the real consequences of all this began to sink in for both Sam and Kara, their faces became decidedly more troubled.  Lena wished she could carry this burden for them and promised to herself that she’d carry as much of it as they could—or would—let her.  She focused back in on J’onn, her voice carrying all of the considerable authority and insistence of which she was capable.  “There’s one last major concern that we need to discuss.”

J’onn’s eyes hardened.  “Lillian Luthor.”

“Precisely.”  Lena took her hands off of Kara’s shoulders and walked halfway around the conference table, towards where J’onn was standing.  “This is the final straw.  This is the end of the road for her.  I don’t care what it takes, but I’m going to find her and I’m going to stop her.  I welcome the assistance of the DEO to the extent that you also have a vested interest in taking down Cadmus, but let me assure you Director J’onzz, you will **_not_** get in my way.”  Lena made sure that the threat in her words was **_very_** clear.

“Understood, Ms. Luthor.  The DEO will be happy to work with you to investigate the whereabouts of your mother and her Cadmus cohorts.  But let me also make myself clear, and I hope you will forgive me for being blunt.  This organization does not exist to aid in some quest for revenge, and we will not condone cold-blooded murder.  The best I can promise you is that we will not interfere with your … **_family affairs_** , so long as they don’t interfere with our ability to take down Cadmus once and for all.”

Lena stepped closer and offered her hand to J’onn, who shook it firmly.  “Thank you, J’onn.  I think we have an understanding then.”  She walked back to the other side of the table.  As best as Lena could tell through the cowl, Sam appraised her with a mix of awe and approval, whereas Kara’s face was significantly more conflicted about what Lena had just said.  Or perhaps, more accurately, the things Lena had left unsaid.  Lena silently pleaded with her to leave it for now—they could discuss her plans for Lillian later.

Kara glanced at her phone, where a fourth message for Cat Grant was now displayed, along with a legion of social media notifications and other messages and requests dotting the screen.  “Lucy, is there anything else in your file that we need to talk about, or can I head over to see Cat now?”

“I think that’s it for now, Kara.”  Lucy tried to give Kara a reassuring smile.  “Today’s gonna be rough, kiddo.  But you can get through this.  You’ve got a ton of people who love and support you, and a ton more who respect and admire you.  Just remember to breathe.”

“Thanks Lucy.  For everything.”  Kara got up and in a blink was on the other side of the room, hugging both Lucy and J’onn tightly. 

“Stronger together,” J’onn reminded her, earning him a small smile and a nod.

“Just be sure Alex and Maggie stay in Europe, okay?  I already yelled at her on the phone, but you know how she is.  It might take an order from a superior officer.”  There was a hint of playfulness in Kara’s tone, which was like music to Lena’s ears.  She worried profusely about Kara getting overwhelmed by all this.

“I’ll make sure of it, Supergirl.  You leave it to me.”  Kara began walking towards the door but stopped suddenly. 

“Ummm, Lucy and J’onn could you give us a minute in here?”  They both nodded, then headed out the door.  J’onn paused just long enough to put a reassuring hand on Sam’s shoulder before he exited.

Kara took Sam by both hands.  “Sam, I am so sorry.”

Sam’s eyes widened.  “Babe, what do you have to be sorry for?  None of this is your fault.”

“It is.  I should’ve been more careful with my identity.  I’ve put your identity, your privacy, and Ruby’s safety at risk because I screwed up.”

Sam immediately pulled hands from Kara’s and took her face in both hands.  “Hey.  This is **_not_** your fault.  Ruby is going to be okay.  We’re not going to let anything happen to her.  And Lucy’s plan is a good one.  I’ll be okay.  I’m worried about you right now.”

Kara nodded, eyes welling up a little.  “Okay, okay.  You’re right.  I just …”  She glanced over at Lena, holding out a hand to her.  “We need to talk to Ruby tonight, all three of us.  I’m sure she’ll have questions for me, and we need to have an honest discussion about how her life is going to be affected.  Let’s plan on dinner okay?”

“Sounds like a plan, just—”

“Don’t worry, I’ll use my superspeed to be sure that no one catches Lena and me coming to your house.”  Lena grimaced.  “Hey, just enough to get high enough above the clouds that people can’t see us, and then to get us down into Sam’s house without being scene, okay?”  Lena nodded, already mentally preparing herself.  _Note to self, bring anti-nausea medication to dinner._  

“I meant what I said earlier this morning.  Nothing has changed, even if everything has.  I love you both.  You’re my home.”  They all hugged tightly, and Kara kissed them both before turning to leave the room.

“Take your time with Ms. Grant, okay?”  Sam kept her distance, back into Power Girl mode.  Power Girl and Supergirl were friends and coworkers, but definitely not lovers.  The distinction was more important than ever now.  “I can handle anything that pops up.”  Supergirl nodded, and Power Girl took off. 

“Give Cat my best, darling, and if she wants a follow up interview on the intricacies of a Super dating a Luthor, tell her I’m game if you are.”  Lena fixed Kara with her most mischievous grin, eager to lift Kara’s spirits and get her in the right mindset and mood for what had to be something of a daunting interview, even with a close friend like Cat.  “And remember, no matter what, I love you too.”

Kara smiled brightly, squeezed Lena’s hand, and then took off.  Lena sighed, pulling out her phone to call a car to take her back to L-Corp.  Except that just as she opened the lock screen, a wooshing noise came up behind her and she felt herself picked up off her feet by the familiar arms of her favourite blonde Kryptonian.  Kara grinned at her as she carried her firmly across the sky.  “I figure L-Corp’s on my way.”


	50. A Symbol of Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an unexpected meeting, Cat and Kara chat over lunch.

** Chapter 50 **

Everything at CatCo was about as bad as Kara imagined it would be.  Cat had excellent security in the building after her run-ins with Livewire, but as Kara neared the building, she could see the horde of press and paparazzi assembled below on the sidewalk around the building.  _Good thing I can fly_.  The thought of facing a crowd like that made Kara sick to her stomach.

Regular business hours for CatCo Magazine did not typically include the weekend, but it wasn’t the only company with office space in the building.  If not for Alex’s wedding the night before, Kara might’ve been hard at work at the National City Tribune by now.  Her chest tightened again; she knew that she was probably about to get fired.  She had messaged Cat before she left the DEO, asking her to meet at CatCo.

Cat was waiting for her on the balcony, but before she could descend to meet her, a flash of red and blue passed through her peripheral vision.  Startled, Kara turned to see Kal waiting for her on the roof.  Her chest tightened.  Things were getting better, but they had still been a bit strained between the surviving members of the House of El since their confrontation over Kara’s romantic entanglements.  They had gotten along fine at Alex’s wedding, but that was mostly because the conversation stayed shallow and Lois and Sam did a good job of keeping the awkward silences to a minimum.  Kal was still fairly cold to Lena and Sam, and as long as he was going to be that way, Kara wasn’t ready to let him back into her circle of trust.

Kara sighed but flew over to meet him.  As she landed, he moved closer.  She felt immediately uneasy, unsure what to expect from him, but he surprised her in the best possible way, wrapping her up in a warm, comforting hug.  “Are you okay?” 

She melted into his hug, feeling at ease with her cousin for the first time in months.  “I’m … adjusting.  Lucy had a plan for this, and that was really reassuring.  She thought of everything.”

Kal chuckled.  “Of course she did.  She was always the planner of the Lane clan.”  He pulled away.  “I figured your first step would probably be an exclusive interview with Cat.  Lois sends her regards—wants you to let us know if there’s anything we can do to help.  She also insisted that I tell you that she would be a much better choice than Cat for your first interview.  But I’m pretty sure she knows you won’t change your mind.”

“Thanks, Kal.  I really do appreciate it.  And—” Kara gulped, the familiar feeling of guilt blossoming again in her gut, “—I’m sorry if this creates extra pressure on you.”

Kal grimaced, before trying to put on a good face.  He was clearly well aware that more people would be after Superman to reveal his identity now.  “Don’t worry about me, Kara.  I’ve been at this for nearly twenty years now.  I know how to handle the scrutiny.”  He put a hand on her shoulder.  “You need to focus on yourself right now.  Everything is about to change for you.”  He frowned.  “I’m sorry that you have to deal with this.”

“Yeah well, according to Lucy, this day was always going to happen sooner or later.  I just didn’t expect it.  Lillian’s known my identity for over a year.  I figured if she was going to expose me, she would’ve done it already.”

“That woman is a monster.  It’s nothing short of a miracle that Lena was able to survive her childhood without becoming like Lex.  Speaking of … how is she handling this?”  Kara analyzed Kal with cautious optimism.  This was the first time he had openly admitted, unprompted, that Lena was not like her family.  Still, she couldn’t trust him enough to be completely honest about Lena’s reaction.  Kara wasn’t sure how she felt about Lena’s implied threats of violence against Lillian, but she was sure Kal would assume the worst of her girlfriend.

“Lena is furious and worried.  And incredibly supportive.  She thinks Kara Zor-El Danvers can be more of a hero than Supergirl has ever been.” 

Kal thought about that for a moment.  “You know, she might have a point.  Superman and Supergirl have done some remarkable things for this planet, but I think I might’ve been too narrow-minded in my approach to using my powers when I first set up this double life for myself.”  _That’s not the only thing you’ve been narrow-minded about, Kal._ Kara did her best to keep a straight face.  She sensed he was about to make a really good point, and possibly reveal a bit of personal growth while he was at it.

“I had serious concerns about the Amnesty Act, but I think I might have been wrong.  I’m starting to see that assimilating with humans isn’t necessarily the only valid way for aliens to fit into our society.  Lois has been telling me about all the good that has been happening since the Act passed.  Sure, there’s been violence and discrimination too, but I suppose that was always going to be the case.”  He smiled.  “Lena’s new CFO, the Coluan, has apparently become something of an unofficial face of the virtues of alien amnesty and citizenship.  Growing up in Kansas, Ma and Pa just never imagined that society would be able to accept me for who I really was.  People like this Coluan—”

“Her name is Kaziah,” Kara interjected.  “She’s a friend.”

“Oh.  Cool.  Well, Kaziah and others like her—and now even you, I guess—are showing me that Ma and Pa were wrong.  Maybe they can accept us.  Maybe aliens can become contributing members of society without hiding.”

Kara’s heart warmed.  “Kal, I’m proud of you.  You’ve come a long way.  And it means a lot that you came and found me.  Today has been sort of a mixed bag, and I sorta doubt it’s gonna get any easier.”

“Look, I know I’ve been sort of a … well, I feel like the word you would probably use is ‘butthead.’”  _More like shithead,_ Kara thought.  _Sam’s been a bad influence on me._   “But I’m really trying, I promise.  I love you, cousin.  And I want to help, if I can.”

“Thank you, Kal.  I mean it.”  She smiled, genuinely.  “Now.  I’ve got a date with a pretty reporter.”

“Still not over your crush on Cat?”  He smirked knowingly.

Kara rolled her eyes as she turned away.  “Bye Kal.”  She leapt into the air dramatically and floated down to Cat’s balcony. 

“Oh Kara, how nice of you to pop by.  I don’t have **_any_** major news to cover or anything, so I figured I would just fritter away my time enjoying a now annoyingly cool latte out on the balcony.  Did you enjoy your conversation with our handsome man of steel?”  Cat’s snark provided Kara with a welcome feeling of normalcy.  She plopped down on the padded outdoor chair across from Cat.

“He’s feeling surprisingly open-minded today.  I’m glad he came to find me.”  Cat was silent, her dark eyes focused attentively as she watched Kara with a worried but curious look.  “But we’re here to talk about me, not my cousin.”  Cat nodded, then tilted her head just slightly as she waited for Kara to continue. 

Kara felt her face scrunch up as frustration spread through her.  “Cat!  The world knows I’m Supergirl!  Please, tell me about your plan for how to handle this!”

“Oh, so you just **_assumed_** I have a plan?”

“Don’t screw with me right now, Cat.  Normally you’re delightful, and I feel weird talking to you like this in the first place because some part of me still thinks of you as ‘Ms. Grant’ sometimes and it’s already been a long day and it’s barely even lunchtime yet, and I feel pretty lost and conflicted and confused right now and—”

“That’ll be enough, Kara.”  Cat stood and walked over to sit beside Kara, placing a hand on hers.  “I’m sorry.  **_Of course_** I have a plan.  This is going to be the most incredible interview ever, I promise.  But first, talk to me.  How are you handling it?”

“Well, this definitely isn’t how I imagined spending the day after my sister’s wedding, I can tell you that.”  Kara scowled.  Had it really only been a few hours ago that she was spending a happy morning with her girlfriends, joking about Lena’s love note?  “But I imagine it’d be a lot worse if I couldn’t fly.”

“Ah yes, I had to fight my way through the paparazzi swarm just to get in here.  How **_fortunate_** for you that you were able to avoid that.”  Cat’s lips pressed together tightly in a slightly forced smile.  “So.  We’ll need to do a televised interview, I think.  I’ve already made the necessary arrangements.  We can do it this afternoon and broadcast it tonight, if you’re ready.  I figured you needed to get your message out to the public sooner rather than later.”

“I do.  I can’t let Lillian’s lies go unchallenged.”

Cat exhaled loudly.  “I thought my mother was bad, but Lena’s definitely takes the cake.  How did she find out?”

“Oh, she’s known for a long time.  As for why now, I can only guess.  I think she’s finally realized that she’s never going to convince Lena to see the world in the twisted way she sees it, and she’s lashing out.  Going out of her way to make mine miserable.”

Cat rolled her eyes, muttering, “Vindictive bitch.”

“You have no idea,” Kara quipped.

“Okay, so here’s what I’m thinking.  We can spend the next couple of hours mapping out what we want to cover in the interview, negotiate out what is on the table and what isn’t.  Maybe practice a little.  Then we’ll head down to the television studio and film the interview.  We can air it as special event on our local affiliate tonight, and post it on CatCo’s website after.” 

“Okay but—” Kara’s heart thumped away at a worrisome pace in anticipation of the inevitable answer to the question she needed to ask, “—just be honest with me: am I fired?”

To her utter surprise, Cat looked at her like she was a complete idiot.  “Kara, for such a brilliant woman, sometimes you are shockingly dense.”  Cat rolled her eyes while shaking her head as dramatically as possible.  “I didn’t build this empire by throwing away talent.  Besides, can you imagine the outrage if I **_fired_** the hero of National City?  I know you’re worried about the disparaging remarks your … I guess ‘mother-in-law’ isn’t **_quite_** accurate, at least not yet … made about you.  But trust me, dear, you’re still easily the most popular person in this city.  As far as I’m concerned, you’re more of an asset to CatCo now, not less.”

“But I’ve used myself as a source on, like, **_so_** many articles.  I’m … I’m a disgrace to journalism.”  Using herself as a source was something that never quite sat well with Kara, but Supergirl **_was_** a good source when it came to alien-related stories in National City.  And she hadn’t known how else to get Supergirl’s side of things out to the public without risking her identity.  But that didn’t make it any less of an ethical violation.

“Yeah, we’ll have to do something about that.  You screwed up, but it isn’t like I can pretend I didn’t know you were doing it.  I bear that responsibility ever bit as much as you do.  We’ll work something out with Snapper, maybe a suspension without pay, but we’ll move past it.”  She smirked at Kara.  “I can’t believe you thought I would fire you.  It’s like you don’t know me at all, **_Keira_**.” 

Kara made a face.  She used to hate that name, but now Cat really only used it to playfully tease her.  It was almost endearing, even though she’d never admit that to Cat.  “Thank you, Cat.”

“Don’t thank me for making a smart business decision.”  She pushed herself up out of her seat.  “Now, we should get some food here somehow.  Any thoughts on how to get a delivery person through the horde below?”

Kara thought for a minute, then smiled brightly.  “Yeah, I think I’ve got an idea.  What are you in the mood for?”

“Just get me a decent salad from wherever you order your meal for three or however much you normally eat.  Expense it to the CatCo credit card.”  Kara pulled out her phone and shot off a quick text.

[12:13 p.m.]     **Hey babe, could you grab us some food & fly it up to us?**

[12:14 p.m.]   **Sure!  Just send me the order & I’ll make up an excuse to get away from Ruby for a few minutes.  She’s nervous but excited about dinner tonight, btw.**

Kara texted her the order, then followed Cat into her office., leaving the balcony door open for Sam.  The rest of the floor was dimly lit and empty.  Cat poured herself a light drink.  _I didn’t realize she had the materials for a Moscow mule in here._   Kara waved off Cat’s offer to pour her one, and the she came and sat down across from Kara.

“So, where do we start?” Kara asked, now intensely curious about what Cat had in mind. 

“That will depend on how much of your personal life you’re willing to get into, but the way I see it, there are three or four big topics we should cover.  You’ve already talked publicly, as Supergirl, about Krypton and why you came to Earth, but I think it’s a good idea to share at least a little about how you’ve made a life for yourself here on Earth.  Maybe also explain why you finally made the decision to become Supergirl and why you felt it was important to keep your true identity secret.”

Kara nodded.  “Yeah, that makes sense.  I think it would be good to talk about what a wonderful home the Danvers made for me, though I don’t want to mention my hometown or Eliza by name, okay?  Bad enough that I’m now a celebrity.  I don’t want anyone harassing Eliza.”

Kara had picked up Eliza from the loft prior to her trip to the DEO.  She worried about someone getting Kara Danvers’ address, so she wanted to be sure Eliza wasn’t bothered.  Sam had taken her to hang out with Ruby after they finished up at the DEO.  Eliza was worried about Kara, but otherwise was handling things pretty well.  She didn’t deserve any increased scrutiny, though.

“That’s perfectly reasonable.  You know, you’ve never really told me why it took you so long to take up the Supergirl mantle.  You have all these powers, and I know you’ve always had this inherent, if often unfortunately naïve, compulsion to help people.  Why did it take you until you were—what?—25 to put on the cape and put yourself out there?”

“Just after my 25th birthday, actually.”  Kara pursed her lips.  Technically, it had been her 49th birthday, but she didn’t count the 24 wherein she had been comatose and ageless in the Phantom Zone.  “And … when I came to Earth, my adopted family convinced me that the safest choice for myself was to pretend to be human.”

Kara pondered how much to tell Cat.  She was sworn to secrecy about the DEO, so she would have to keep things vague, but she was pretty sure she could still share the gist of the story.  “You see, there was the secret organization—either Cadmus or another group that worked closely with Cadmus—that was looking to abduct and experiment on aliens.  I don’t think people realize just how much the Alien Amnesty Act has changed things.  It really wasn’t safe for alien refugees, and Superman was pretty famous by the time I arrived on Earth.  A young Kryptonian would have been a highly sought after captive, and my adoptive parents wanted to protect me.”

There was real anguish and concern in Cat’s eyes, but she stayed on topic.  “How did you end up with the Danvers in the first place?”

“They knew my cousin.  I can’t get into the specifics, but they were scientists who helped Superman understand some of the basics about our Kryptonian biology.  He trusted them, so when I came to Earth, he asked them to take me in.”  Cat frowned, and Kara immediately knew where the conversation was about to turn.  Her crush on Clark Kent was outweighed by her protectiveness over Kara Danvers.

“I’m sorry, but were Mr. Farmboy and his glamorous reporter girlfriend too busy to care for a teenage girl?”  Cat’s nostrils flared slightly, matching the anger in her tone.

“Look … we’re not going to waste any time in this interview bad-mouthing Kal—”  Cat mouthed the word ‘Kal?’ without trying to interrupt, “—sorry, that is the name he was born with, but I think I’m the only one who still uses it.  Habit.  Don’t tell him I told you.”  Cat nodded, her wry smile betraying an otherwise solemn appearance.  “Yes, he was selfish.  I think things were still new in his relationship with Lois, and she was just getting used to the idea of dating an alien.  He didn’t want to try to provide for me on top of that.”

“What an absolute ass.”  Cat appeared as though she were about to go off on Kal again, but she was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Power Girl, loaded up with takeout food.  Kara leapt off the couch and kissed her girlfriend in greeting.  “Thanks for this!  I didn’t know how else to get food up here without dealing with the paparazzi.”

“You know me, always looking to save a damsel in distress,” Sam joked.  “Hey Cat.”

“Samantha,” Cat responded, rifling through the bags of food in search of her salad.  Then her face turned serious, almost panicked.  “Shit.”  She looked back and forth between the two of them.  “If my office were bugged, would one of you be able to detect it?”

 Kara immediately moved to put her at ease.  “Yes.  I check your office for bugs quite regularly, Cat.  I’m actually much better at protecting secrets than people give me credit for.”  She was in the regular habit of checking the important places, where she spent a good amount of time or otherwise expected that people might be talking about her or Sam’s secrets, for surveillance equipment.  She had been even more diligent about it since Lillian revealed that Cadmus had been planting spy cameras around the city, back when she discovered that Supergirl and Power Girl were fooling around.

“Aw, babe, your boss was worried about my secret!  That’s so cute,” Sam teased.  “Cat, who knew that you cared about li’l ole me?”  Cat didn’t justify the comment with a response, merely giving Sam the side eye before turning back to her salad.  “Well fine then, take all the fun out of it.”  She turned back to Kara.  “I’ll leave you to it.  Just text me when you and Lena are on your way.”

“I will.”  Kara kissed her again.  “Love you.”

Sam was gone again seemingly before the “love you too” had finished leaving her lips.  Cat chuckled behind her.

“You can never tell her this, but I find your superpowered girlfriend’s mouthiness **_surprisingly_** delightful.”

Kara sat back down, a satisfied smirk on her face.  “Sorry, Cat, but I’m absolutely going to tell her that.  You’re just going to have to get used to having more than two people in your life who you actually like.”  Kara pulled out the first container of food, filled with a hoagie and kettle chips.

“Now, now.  Don’t exaggerate.  I never said that I **_liked_** her.  Hell, I’ve never said that I like **_you_**.”  Kara faked a shocked gasp.

“Cat Grant!  But what about all the flirting?”

“I don’t have to like you to find you attractive, dear.”

“Well then what about all the years of mentoring me?”

“I also don’t have to like you to want to cultivate the many skills and talents you so clearly possess.” 

“What about the time you went on ‘The Talk’ and said you liked to think of me as a friend?”

“That was before I really got to know you.”

Kara growled.  “Catherine Jane Grant, you admit that you like me or I’ll go interview with Lois instead.”

Cat fixed her with her most shocked and appalled look.  “Well well, Kiera.  Righteous ultimatums looks strangely good on you.  Fine, you’re one of two people that I actually like.  Just don’t tell anyone.”

“Yay!”  Kara did a short, seated dance of celebration.  “Now, back to what I was saying.  I took my adoptive parents’ warnings to heart, and so I did my best to try and live a normal human life.  I graduated high school, then college, then got a job working for a woman I admired greatly.  But it was always hard for me, especially when I would see news reports about Kal’s heroics.”

“You wanted to be a hero too?”

“I think you know that it’s not about being a hero.  I just … I felt like I was meant for something more.  That I was being selfish by hiding.  Protecting myself when I could be out there using my extraordinary gifts to improve the lives of others.  I still … I didn’t wear a uniform, and I made sure to avoid attention, but I helped where I could.”  Kara reminisced as she thought back on the small victories she had found back then.  “You can get away with a lot—saving a pedestrian from being hit by a car, feeding a homeless person, grabbing a robber and depositing him at the nearest police station—with superspeed.”

“Do you think you would’ve been content to go on living your life like that if your sister’s plane hadn’t nearly crashed into the city?”

“Honestly?  I don’t think so.  If it wasn’t that, something else would’ve sprung up that I wouldn’t have been able to ignore.”  Kara grabbed the next container, having devoured the contents of the previous one.

“Okay, so then why the costume?  Why **_his_** symbol?  Were you trying to protect your identity?  If so, why no mask?”  Cat had already finished her salad, and now she was taking notes. 

“Okay, first of all, it isn’t **_his_** symbol.  This—” Kara gestured to the sigil on her chest, “—is the crest of the Great Kryptonian House of El.  It is … the closest analogy on Earth would be a coat of arms.”

“You wear your family’s coat of arms on your chest?  And Superman never thought the world might want to know that bit of information?” 

“Kal doesn’t remember our family.  He doesn’t remember our culture.  I can’t speculate as to why he chose to wear the crest.  Or chose blue and red for that matter.”

Cat interrupted, “Wait explain that to me.  How is it that you remember Krypton, but he does not?”

Kara winced.  “Oh right, I guess I haven’t shared that with you.  It’s not really something I feel like we need to get into for the interview, but Kal was an infant when we left; I was thirteen.”  Cat gaped.  Cat Grant’s mouth was literally wide open, her eyes wide with shock.  “Ms. Grant, your mouth is open.”  She promptly shut her mouth, face tightening into its ‘I’m Cat Grant, don’t fuck with me’ expression.

“You didn’t see that.  Now, you want to explain to me what sort of alien time travel hijinks explain how you could be thirteen years older than your cousin when you left Krypton and yet I know for a fact that he is around my age, whereas you’re not even thirty?” 

“Okay so here’s the deal.  My pod left Krypton shortly after his, but it was just a tad too late.  The explosion of the planet knocked my pod off course, and it was caught in an interdimensional portal.  I was trapped in what we called the Phantom Zone for 24 years.  Inside the zone, time does not pass.  I was unconscious that entire time, but when I emerged and made my way to Earth, I found that baby Kal, who had arrived here unimpeded, was now 24.”  Kara could see Cat’s mind working to try and make sense of this, building out a timeline in her imagination.  “Lemme put it this way: I was born in 1966, but from 1979 until 2003 I didn’t age, so now I’m biologically 28 years old.” 

Even that was a little complicated, honestly.  Alex was a better person to explain how her biology works, but probably she was closer to biologically 25 still.  Under the yellow sun, Kara aged much, **_much_** slower than she would otherwise.  Fortunately, Cat seemed satisfied with her answer.

“What you’re telling me is that you’re a year older than me, but you still look **_like that_**.”  Cat made a face.  “I need a stronger drink.  Your biology is truly unfair.  But I think you’re entirely correct that there’s no need to get into all that for the interview.  But I will ask you about the crest—people will love that.  You still haven’t answered the question, though.”

“I didn’t?”  Kara couldn’t quite remember the original question.

“Why the outfit?  Where you actively trying to hide your identity?  And now that I’m thinking about it, why not wear a mask?”  _Oh good, this question again._   Kara thought about it for a few moments.  **_Was_** _I trying to hide my identity?_

“Cat, I don’t really think I thought about it much, not at first.  My entire life on Earth up till that point, I had been playing a part.  A toned down, less confident version of myself, meant to avoid attention.  I continued playing that role in my when I was Kara Danvers, outside of my home anyway, even once I became Supergirl.  But then suddenly I could just openly be my confident, heck even brash, self.  I wanted to be the opposite of the Kara Danvers I had been playing all those years.  I didn’t think much about disguises, really.  Besides, my face was already out there after I caught the plane, even if the photo was grainy.  And Kal never seemed to need one.”

Kara paused, considering the question further.  “When I first started fighting crime, I just … It really wasn’t about being like Superman.  I just wanted to be a symbol.  I wanted people to look at me and feel inspired.  Hopeful.  And there was already an established brand that gave people that feeling, so I latched onto it.”

“I must say Kara, I’m proud to know that even back then I had taught you at least a few things.  It was quite the wise move, in terms of PR.”  They shared a warm smile.

“Thanks, Cat.  As for why no mask, I just …  back then I felt strongly that I couldn’t be a symbol of hope if I hid my face.  I thought masks were inherently suspicious, like … like no one would really trust a Supergirl whose face they couldn’t see.”  She frowned.  “I’ve since developed a more, umm, nuanced perspective on it.”

“Okay, let’s move on.”  Kara began tidying up the office, throwing out the takeout containers.  “How much can you tell me about the secretive military group you work with?  The one that employs your sister?”

“You should definitely ask that, because the pictures of Alex and me in uniform are out there now.  Just know that I can’t say much.  All I can tell you is that she works for a classified, joint FBI and Homeland Security task force that aids and assists Supergirl.  They’re based here in National City.  I am also happy to talk about how rewarding it is to work side by side with Alex.  I just can’t get into any details about her employer.”

“That’s fine.  Now, as I see it, there are three other big things we need to hash out.   One, your personal life.  In particular, the dynamics of a Super dating a Luthor and how you feel about Lena’s family, especially Lillian, whose fault it is you’re even doing this interview.”  Kara nodded, so Cat continued.  “Two, whether you will continue to work at the National City Tribune, and what that will look like going forward.  I’ll have a lot to say about that myself, obviously.  Finally, I’d like if it you could speculate a little on how your life will be different now that you don’t have to live a dual life.  Do you plan to change your approach to Supergirl at all?”

Kara smiled.  “Yes, to all of that.  I shouldn’t have too much I will need to avoid there.  Except for Sam.  The most important thing in all of this is protecting her identity now.”  She caught the raised eyebrow Cat directed at her.  “Yes, I’m aware that sooner or later, it will come out that Lena, Sam, and I are polyamorous.  We haven’t exactly been hiding it, and we don’t have any intention of starting now.  I just … we’ll address that when we have to.  Power Girl’s identity is very well protected, but I don’t want to invite any more scrutiny on Sam—and Ruby—than is absolutely necessary.  So please, when we talk about my relationship with Lena, let’s talk about it as if it is an ordinary, two-person monogamous relationship.”

“I get it.  And hell, that just means another exclusive for me when it does come out.  Right, Kara?” 

“Fiiiiine,” Kara conceded.  “As long as Lena and Sam are okay with it.”

“Hey, while I’m thinking about it, have you given any consideration as to how much of a gay icon you’re likely to become after this interview?”

Kara’s eyes went wide.  It had most certainly not occurred to her.  “You think?” 

“Kara, seriously?  You are **_not_** this naïve anymore.  Supergirl is a famous superhero.  To some people you’re almost godlike.  It will be a huge deal that you’re gay.”

“Pansexual,” Kara corrected.  She giggled at the thought, blushing slightly.  She had always wanted to inspire people; it just hadn’t occurred to her how much it could mean to people that one of the most famous superheroes in the country was queer.  She’d need to talk to her family about this later.  Her mind was already spinning with thoughts of the good she could do for her community.  “I never thought about how much more I could accomplish as Supergirl if people were able to know more about who I really am.”

“And I will be here every step of the way with you, Supergirl.”  She got up to pour herself another mule.  “Ready to get to work?”

Kara felt a renewed vigor spread through her, thanks to this rather incredible epiphany.  She leapt from her seat, feeling weightless and hopeful.  Voice radiant with enthusiasm, she answered, “You know it!”


	51. Family Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eliza makes dinner at Sam and Ruby's, where they talk to Ruby about the changes that might arise because of the reveal of Supergirl's identity. Then they watch the interview with Cat as a family.

** Chapter 51 **

“You know, that’s a definite upside I hadn’t considered,” Sam thought aloud, glancing over to where Ruby was pacing about impatiently.  “We won’t have to go out of our way to hide the fact that Kara eats so much more than humanly possible when we have meals with Ruby.” 

Eliza was cooking dinner for the family, and Kara and Lena were on their way there.  All things considered, Ruby was taking the news that her mom’s dorky girlfriend was also secretly the hero she idolized extremely well.  Eliza and Sam had done a pretty good job of keeping Ruby’s insatiable curiosity about Kara at bay all day.  It had been important to Sam and Kara that everyone be present for the big conversation.  Eliza being around had been a huge life saver; she had at least been able to offer stories about Kara’s childhood.  Assorted tales of a sad alien girl learning to fit in on Earth.  Sam was pretty sure that some of the stories had kicked Ruby’s empathy into overdrive, and she was no longer worried that the girl would feel hurt that they had all kept this from her.

Eliza shot her a knowing smile, before whispering, “Right, now you’ll **_only_** have to hide **_your_** food consumpt—”

“Woah!”  Ruby;’s exclamation interrupted the thought.  She was startled by the sudden appearance of Supergirl and Lena in the room. 

“Hey there, cuties,” Sam greeted them, moving around the kitchen island to go give them both a kiss.  “Kara, you wanna change into something more comfy?”

“Wait, wait no!” Ruby’s voice was frantic.  “Supergi—err, umm hey Kara?  Could we take a picture together with the suit on?”  Kara smiled warmly at her, and Ruby looked back and forth between Sam and Kara.  “I mean, there’s no harm in it anymore, right?”

Sam held out a hand towards Kara, indicating that it was up to her.  “Let’s do it!” Kara exclaimed.  “Should we do some sort of a pose?  Lena, will you take the picture?”  Kara seemed every bit as excited as Ruby, and it was a delight to witness.  Sam knew that it had been a long day for Kara.  She was glad that Ruby’s enthusiasm was something that Kara enjoyed.

“Ooo ooo, yeah!  Let’s face each other, with our arms up like this, as if we’re about to fight.”  Lena took the photo, which Sam had to admit was absolutely adorable.

“Hey Rubes, let’s wait until we all get a chance to talk before you think about posting that to social media, okay?” 

“Sure thing, Mom.”  She turned back to Kara, who had already disappeared to the bedroom, changed into jeans and a tee shirt, and returned to the kitchen.  Sam smiled wistfully.  Kara was already leaving behind the pretense of being human, now that she was free to do so.  There were definite benefits to being outed as an alien, despite the plethora of difficulties it had introduced into their lives.  Some small part of Sam envied Kara.  She had only had these powers for a few months, but she was already tired of constantly having to limit herself and actively slow everything down to appear human.  Freed from any such restraint, Kara was wasting no time in dropping the pretense and just being herself, in all aspects.  Good for her.

“Kara, sweetie, you’re just in time.  Dinner’s almost ready.”  Sam moved to finish helping Eliza out, asking Ruby to set the table for them.  Lena poured herself a glass of wine, content to watch the goings on around her with open interest.  Despite the tumultuous day, Sam couldn’t help but smile.  In the years after Patricia kicked her out, she never could’ve imagined having **_this_**.  A family like this.  Not normal, exactly, but something like that. 

Once they had all gotten settled around the table, Sam finally gave Ruby the permission she desperately desired.  “Alright kiddo, go ahead.  We all know you’ve got questions.”  Kara’s nervous anticipation was actually incredibly endearing.  She had just shoved an entire porkchop into her mouth and was awkwardly chewing it while she waited to see what Ruby’s first question would be. 

However, the teen took her time, an almost troubled look suddenly springing to her face.  She glanced back and forth between Sam, Lena, and Kara before finally asking, “Why did you hide this from me?”

Sam had known the question was coming, and she was encouraged by the fact that she couldn’t detect any amount of hurt in Ruby’s voice as she asked.  Placing a hand over Kara’s, Sam decided to field this one herself.  “First, let me just make sure that you know, without any doubt, that it is **_not_** because we didn’t trust you.  You’re a smart, loyal, and caring young woman, and that’s a good thing, because things are going to get more difficult here pretty soon.  I have no doubt that you could’ve handled this secret if we had needed you to, okay?”  Ruby nodded, and Kara jumped in.

“Your mom’s right.  The thing is, Ruby, that my secret identity is a huge burden for someone to carry.  Or … it **_was_**.  I didn’t want to put that on you.  I just … you should never feel like you need to lie for me or for your mom or for Lena, okay?  And if you knew, you would have to lie.  Secrets like this are necessary sometimes, but they aren’t easy to keep.  And they’re definitely not fun, especially when you have to hide the truth from people you care about.”  Kara smiled.  “Does that make sense?”

Ruby played around with a green bean on her plate as she nodded.  “So … there’s not anything that I’m going to have to lie about now that I know?”

“Absolutely not,” Sam answered intently.  She looked at Kara, just to confirm that they were still on the same page.  “Obviously, things are going to change quite a lot going forward, and we want to be careful with everything.  We don’t want people finding out that Kara is Supergirl to have any adverse effect on your life, not if we can help it.”

“What’s going to change?”  Ruby’s question was a lot bigger than her nonchalant tone gave it credit for.  This time, Lena was the first to answer.

“Ruby, Kara is super famous now.”  Kara immediately giggled, and Lena scowled at her as she realized that she had accidentally made a pun.  Sam smiled warmly at them both.  “Wow, okay Kara.  Good to see you haven’t lost your sense of humour in all this.”  Kara shook her head dramatically, mouth full of food.  Lena turned back to Ruby.  “My point is: Kara is a celebrity now.  There are going to be paparazzi following her around.  Probably people trying to dig into her—and therefore **_our_** —personal lives.  We will do our best to shield you from it, but you need to be aware of it.”

“No talking to strangers,” Sam chipped in.  “That’s the new rule, and it’s non-negotiable.  People know that Kara and Lena are together, but we don’t think they know about me, not yet anyway.  So you’re probably not at any risk of random strangers bothering you just yet.”  Sam locked eyes with her daughter.  “This is really serious though, and I **_need_** you to understand that.  **_No_** talking to strangers.  Got it?”

“I got it,” Ruby answered immediately.  “Are we going to need like … bodyguards or anything?”  Sam, Lena, and Kara all exchanged a look.  It was something they needed to discuss with her, but they hadn’t expected her to ask about it, especially not right away. 

Kara explained.  “Yes.  Lena already has a security company she trusts, and they’re going to beef up their security of our apartment.  We’re going to have them provide some security for you and your mom too, but you shouldn’t notice them.  You know how Alex works with me when I’m Supergirl, right?”  Ruby nodded.  “Well the super secret government organization she works for will also be keeping an eye on you and your mom.  We don’t want you to ever feel unsafe, okay?”

“Hey Kara?” Sam interrupted, a thought having just sprung to mind.  “Can we talk for like two seconds in private?” 

“Sure.  We’ll be right back.”  Kara stood, walked over, grabbed Sam, and flew them out of the living room, up to the bedroom, all in a couple blinks of a human eye.  Sam had been so fascinated by the differences after she was reborn as a Kryptonian ( _Super Kryptonian?_ They still hadn’t figured out what to call Sam—‘Worldkiller’ wasn’t exactly a welcome term for any of them).  When she was human, Kara’s superspeed registered as a blur if it registered at all.  Sometimes she would move so fast that Sam couldn’t even see it.  But now, she could see it all.  It was a little disorienting the first few days—Sam wasn’t even sure she could quite explain the feeling of watching two different people moving at such radically different speeds.  It was almost as if her eyes shifted modes depending on which she focused on.  If her attention was on Ruby while Kara flitted across the room, Kara’s movements would register as a blur, but if she focused on Kara, it was as if the room around her suddenly froze, moving infinitely slower than normal.  It was sort of trippy, and it had taken her a while to get used to it.

“What’s up?”  Kara was standing close, so Sam followed her instincts and kissed her on a whim.  “First, I just want to say that I’m so proud of you and how you’re handling things.”  Kara smiled brightly, blushing a little.  “Second, can we get Ruby one of those beacon watches?  I didn’t want to bring it up in front of her unless you agree that it’s a good idea.”

“Sam, it’s a great idea!  But why don’t we just give her yours?”

“Because she might recognize it as mine.  Then she might wonder why I don’t need it anymore.”  Kara frowned, and Sam understood why.  She had just explained to Ruby how much of a burden keeping a big secret could be, and here they were, keeping another big secret.  Which required them to lie to Ruby, or at minimum, alter their behaviour so that they could keep her in the dark.  “But we’re agreed?  We’ll have Winn make her one?”

“Of course we will.  Now, let’s head back.”  Sam nodded, and they flew back to the living room at full Kryptonian speed, together.  All told, they were gone for only a minute or so.  “Hey Ruby?” Kara ventured.  “Do you wear watches often?”  Ruby was not currently wearing one.

“Not really.  I’ve got my phone if I need to know what time it is.”  Kara put a hand to her chin in a pensive motion, thinking of an alternative.  “Okay well, in that case, let’s say you were going to have one piece of jewelry that you wore every single day: what would you choose?”

“A bracelet, I guess.  Why do you ask?”

“I’m going to get you a bracelet, that you should wear always.  It will have a beacon in it that you can activate when you’re in danger.  Only Power Girl and I will be able to hear it, and we will come find you immediately.” 

“Ruby.”  Sam was using her sternest mom voice now.  She needed her daughter to understand this next point.  “This beacon is **_not_** a toy.  If you want to talk to Kara, you can text her like you always have.  Supergirl’s time is precious.  She deals with matters of life and death every single day.  She cannot be your personal bodyguard.  Kara’s duty extends to more than just our family, as much as she loves us, and we need to take that seriously.  You will only use the beacon if you’re actually in a situation that **_needs_** Supergirl.  Which ideally should be never.  It is a measure of last resort.  Do you understand?” 

Ruby’s features were serious almost to the point of worry.  _Yup, she gets it.  Good._   She turned to face Kara.  “Thank you for caring enough to want to protect me.  I promise I won’t abuse your trust.”  Kara’s smile could’ve blinded everyone in the room at that moment.  Sam’s heart filled with pride.

“I know you will, Ruby.  And I just want you to know that I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” Ruby blurted in confusion.

“Yes.  I’m sorry that who I am, and what I’ve chosen to do with my powers, might potentially put you at risk.  But I’m not sorry for caring for you.  And I’m not sorry that you and your mom are in my life.  I just wish that me being Supergirl didn’t have to change anything about your life.  But it probably will, and we need to talk more about that probably, and I just … I’m really really sorry for that.”

“Kara, you have nothing to apologize for.”  Ruby’s words were heartfelt and sincere, full of adoration.  “You’re a hero.  You’re **_my_** hero.  You’re so incredible, and I’m proud that you’re with my mom.  Even if you’re both super gross sometimes.”  Eliza laughed at the last point, and Kara turned a befuddled look in her direction.

Lena chose this moment to add her own thoughts to the conversation.  “You have every right to be proud that Kara and your mom are in a relationship—”

‘I’m proud she’s in a relationship with you too, Lena!” Ruby couldn’t help interrupting, and Sam chuckled.  She could almost see the heart eyes on her face.

“Right.  Well that’s good too.  Just …”  Lena looked at Sam, struggling with what she wanted to say.  Sam had an idea where she was going with this.  “It might not be the best idea for you to go around bragging that your mom is dating Supergirl, you know?”

“Are we keeping that a secret?” asked Ruby.

“Absolutely not,” Sam responded firmly.  “I want to be very clear about this, Ruby.  We are **_not_** ashamed of our love, and we would never ask you to lie about it.  But there are going to be a lot of people who don’t understand.  There will be others who might be giant assholes about it.  We just need you to be aware of that.  And of the fact that because we’re Supergirl’s family, in our own distinct way, we will be in danger sometimes.  That’s why we’re giving you that beacon.”

Kara added, “You might have to deal with bullies who don’t understand how three strong women can all be in love with each other and form relationships and family together.  But we’ll always be here to talk about anything.  Lena and I love you.” 

“And so do I, sweetie,” Eliza chimed in, drawing a bright smile from Ruby.  For the life of her, Sam couldn’t understand why Patricia wouldn’t have wanted to be a part of all this.  Oh well.  Eliza was more than happy to be a mother (and grandmother) to all.  “But surely you had some more exciting questions for Supergirl, now that we’ve gotten some of the important stuff out of the way.”  Eliza winked at her, and Ruby’s face brightened even more. 

“Actually,” Sam butted in, to Ruby’s dismay, “it’s almost time for Cat Grant’s big interview with the famous Supergirl, and I, for one, don’t want to miss it.” 

“I’ve got the dishes,” Kara offered, and then she was off, rinsing and stacking and loading the dishwasher at full speed.  She was finished before Ruby had finished cutting herself a piece of cake.  Sam used the time to sneak around the corner with the rest of the Kryptonian amount of food Eliza had made and then hidden, satiating the rest of her hunger while Ruby was distracted.  Then she grabbed a glass of wine and took a seat on the couch, playfully nudging Lena’s knee before settling in with a space left between them for Kara. 

As everyone settled in, she flipped on the TV.  The news station was already hyping the interview, with a little countdown clock to 7:30 when it was to air.  There were three minutes left, and the station was currently airing street-level interviews with National City residents, getting the perspectives on the reveal and on the other parts of Lillian’s message. 

Out of nowhere, Eliza said, “Lena, dear, I only feel comfortable saying this because I know you agree, but your mother is an atrocious bitch.”  Lena cracked a wide smile, and Ruby snorted into a full-throated laugh.

“You know, Eliza, when you’re right, you’re really damn right.”  She held out her wine glass, and Eliza clinked hers to it.  Just then Kara leapt over the couch, floating softly down to sit between her girlfriends.  Ruby applauded the move, and Kara grinned as she bowed softly.  Sam was glad she was enjoying her ability to show off a little for Ruby. 

“Alright everyone shh, it’s on.  My girlfriend is gonna be on TV.” 

“Both your girlfriends have been on TV before, dummy,” Lena mocked.

“Watch your tone, Lee, or you’ll be getting no goodnight kiss from me tonight.”  Lena pressed her hand to her chest in faux dismay, but then the special jingle announced that the interview was beginning.  It started with a warm welcome between Cat and Kara.

_“For starters, now that it is out there, what would you prefer I call you, Kara or Supergirl?”_

_“Kara’s fine.”_ Sam could read the nerves all over Kara’s expression and body language, even though she was sure that Cat and Kara had practiced before filming.  She took Kara’s hand in her own, intertwining their fingers tightly.  Lena had already done the same on Kara’s other side.

Cat looked into the camera. _”Before we get into all the juicy details I’m sure everyone is just_ **dying** _to know, it is important that I disclose up front that I have known Supergirl’s identity for quite a while now.  I am proud to say that I never betrayed that trust.  And I am equally proud to conduct this interview with a person who has become a close personal friend over the past four years she has worked for me._

Kara was smiling as luminously in person as she did in the interview.  “That was really sweet of her to say,” Sam whispered.  The interview continued, as they discussed what it was like for Kara coming to Earth.  What her adopted family was like.  How she adapted to life here.  Why she felt like she needed to hide.  And why she ultimately decided to reveal herself and become Supergirl.  From there, the conversation moved to Alex and what is was like for Kara to work with her sister.  She did an excellent job of keeping any details about the DEO out of the interview, and Sam suspected that Cat and Kara worked on the questions to help make that easier.

_“Now Kara, I know you’re bulletproof, but you’ve had some rough battles since becoming Supergirl.  Is it difficult for you or your sister, having to work together in situations where one or both of you could be in serious danger?”_

_“It’s really hard sometimes, I’m not going to lie.  But we both know what we signed up for.  We’ve saved each other’s lives more times than I can count.  It’s terrifying.  But there’s no one I trust with my safety more.”_

_“Would you say she sees herself as your protector in some ways?”_

The Kara on screen giggled.  _“Yeah, she really does.  And I love her for that.”_

Cat’s eyebrows raised.  _“And speaking of love, let’s talk a little about your relationship with Lena Luthor.  How did your sister react when she found out the two of you were dating?  I mean, a Super and a Luthor?!  That’s a bit scandalous, no?”_

Sam leaned forward dramatically so she could look at Lena and wink.  “Great job corrupting the Super with your Luthor wiles, Lee.”  Lena and Kara both rolled their eyes in unison, as the Kara on screen began to explain how Alex was skeptical and worried at first.  Before she got to know Lena and realized that she was nothing like her mother or her brother.

_“Is it weird to be so hated by your girlfriend’s mother that she would expose your secret identity to the entire world?”_

_“Well, that’s hardly the worst thing Lillian has done to me.  All things considered, outing someone’s secret identity is pretty low on the list of villainous acts.”_  Cat and Kara shared a laugh.

_“I take it she isn’t a fan of your relationship?”_

_“She’s not really a fan of anything Lena does, if we’re being honest.  Add that to the raging xenophobia, and no, I guess you could say that our relationship is not her favourite thing.  It makes me so angry.  Lena is one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met.  And Lillian has never appreciated her.  She has constantly mistreated her, devalued her, abused her, and made her doubt herself.  She is a hateful person.  And a criminal.  She belongs in prison.”_

_“And let’s all hope the FBI works a little harder to make that happen.  So, how are things with Lena?”_

Kara’s face lit up.  It was adorable.  _“She’s amazing!  Things are amazing!  I … seeing Lillian’s awful video this morning, realizing how much my life was about to change … it was really draining.  Really scary.  I’m so lucky to have the love and support of my family, and Lena is definitely my family.  My life has been so much more full and joyful since I met her.”_

Kara leaned over and kissed Lena several times across her cheeks.  Sam realized that Kara’s heartfelt expression of love had brought tears to Lena’s eyes.  She felt a pang in her heart, suddenly sad that Kara hadn’t mentioned her in the interview.  Even though they had all agreed not to address their triad in the interview, it still hurt a little.  Almost as if she sensed Sam’s feelings, Kara turned to her.  “Hey, I love you too.”  She smiled into the kiss as she leaned in and pressed her lips to Sam’s.

“I do.  And I know we agreed you wouldn’t mention it in this interview.  But it’s nice to hear.”  Kara squeezed her hand, and they turned their attention back to the interview.

_“Did you always know you are gay?”_

_“Pansexual.”_   As Kara corrected Cat on screen, Lena and Sam both mouthed along. Their girl was so predictable.  _“It’s hard to answer that, actually.  On Krypton, we didn’t concern ourselves with things as arbitrary as sexual orientation; people loved who they loved, and gender didn’t really factor into it.  I’ve known I was attracted to people regardless of gender for as long as I’ve experienced attraction, but it wasn’t until recently that I discovered that it was such a big deal here on Earth.”_

Cat’s expression of surprise at the open-mindedness of Kryptonian society appeared so genuine that Sam would almost believe she hadn’t practiced it.  Who knew Cat was a decent actress on top of all her many other talents?  The conversation stayed on Lena a bit longer as Cat tried, and failed, to pry a few more details about their romance and life together.  She did, however, get Kara to open up a little more before moving on to the next topic.

_“Being a superhero means having enemies, dangerous ones, and now those enemies know who you are.  Who you love.  That must be terrifying.”_

_“It is.”_   There was a distinct quiver in Kara’s voice.  Sam knew that was her greatest fear in all this.  That her choices would put the rest of them in danger.  _“I … honestly that is the biggest reason I’ve lived a double life these past three years.  It isn’t fun, and it isn’t easy.  But I would do anything to protect the people I love.  I care deeply about the people of this city.  This world.  I am devoted to the duty I have taken up in protection of this world and its people.  But my loved ones—my_ **family** _—are my first priority.  I would do anything to protect them.  As such, I would ask, plead, with everyone out there, please respect my privacy.  The privacy of my loved ones.  They didn’t sign up for this.  They don’t deserve to have their lives picked apart.  To be put in any more danger than I’ve already put them in.”_

Beside her, a couple of tears painted Kara’s cheeks, and Sam and Lena both wrapped their arms around her, holding her tight.  Cat did a remarkable job of wrapping up the topic of Kara’s personal life on that heartfelt note, delicately segueing to the topic of Kara’s job.  She explained to the audience that Kara would absolutely continue to work at the National City Tribune, pending a thorough investigation into her use of her alter ego as a source and any resulting punishment.

“Hey Kara?” Ruby asked tentatively.  Sam paused the TV as Kara answered.

“Yes?”

“What’s wrong with you using Supergirl as a source?”

“It’s a big ethical no no.  Lemme think how I can explain this.  So, unless I’m writing an opinion piece--which my boss does not let me do—my goal in telling a story is to present the facts as they exist, in as unbiased a manner as possible.  Who I use as a source affects how much a reader will trust my story.  The best sources are people who know what happened, but don’t have any reason to lie about it or misremember it in some way.  A lot of the time, Supergirl has been a source like that.  Except that if people knew that Supergirl was also the person writing the story, that raises some questions about just how unbiased her— ** _my_** —account of the facts were.  Especially since I wasn’t being honest in the article that the author and the source are the same person.  I was … deceiving my readers, in a way.  Does that make sense?”

“Yeah I think so.”  Sam made sure they were finished, then pushed play.  Cat continued talking about Kara as a reporter.  She extolled Kara’s talents, describing her as one of the Tribune’s most promising up and coming reporters.  Then they talked some about how her own insights would help her in her role as the Tribune’s primary investigator of all things alien.  Next, the topic shifted again.

_“Now that everyone knows Supergirl’s identity, how do you envision your life changing?  And I don’t mean anything so mundane as having to deal with paparazzi or giving out autographs to fans on the street.  No no, I want to know if this changes your approach to being Supergirl.”_

_“I’ve obviously got to do some more thinking about that, Cat.  This whole thing took me a bit by surprise, you know.”_   Cat chuckled.  _“But I do want to be a more transparent Supergirl, now that I can.  I believe that I have more to offer this world than just my brute strength.  I want to be more vocal about the causes that are important to me.  It’s important to me that I use my newfound visibility to be a vocal and proud member of my communities, in particular the alien and queer communities.”_

_“Supergirl the_ **activist** _, huh?  Now that should be a sight to see.  Are you worried at all about the consequences of that?  Making enemies of criminals is one sort of danger—making enemies of politicians and others of their ilk is an entirely different challenge, is it not?”_

_“I guess so,”_ Kara responded timidly.  _“That’s not really something I had considered, and I’m definitely not looking to make enemies.  I’m focused on the good I can do.  On being an example, a symbol of hope.  Someone who can inspire anyone who feels downtrodden, discriminated against, overlooked, or hated because of their identity, who they love, or where they come from.  If that bothers some people, I can only hope that my example will encourage them to open their minds, to see that love and hope are better than hatred and fear.  That’s what Supergirl has always stood for, and I hope I can embody that ideal even more now that I don’t have to hide.”_

_“Well, you’ve certainly always been a symbol of hope for me, Kara.  I really appreciate your candor and vulnerability today.  I have just one last question, if you don’t mind.”_ Kara nodded her assent.  _“You didn’t have any choice in having your private identity revealed to the public.  Do you think it’s something you might have eventually considered yourself, if this hadn’t happened?”_

Kara gave this question, which was apparently a surprise to her, some serious thought before answering.  _“I really don’t know.  Like I said before, I would do anything to protect the people I love, and I still believe that keeping my personal life hidden and separate from Supergirl was the best way to do that.  But living that way is painful in a way that I’m not sure many people understand.  For three years now, I’ve essentially had to be three separate people.  I was a toned down version of Kara Danvers, a persona crafted specifically not to attract attention to myself, to fit in completely with human society without raising suspicion.  I was Supergirl, a confident, charismatic symbol of all the best things I aspire to be.  And then in my private life, I was able to just be myself.  Kara Zor-El Danvers, who is somewhere between those two personas.  I don’t appreciate the way that it happened, but I am glad to be done with living that sort of a triple life.  I’m excited for people to see the real me for the first time in my life on Earth.  I’m thankful that I don’t have to pretend anymore.”_

Kara paused, considering whether to add to her final answer, then smiled into the camera.  _“Lena told me something this morning that has stayed with me all day.  She told me that while Supergirl is a beacon of hope, the world now has a chance to see that the true hero isn’t the symbol, but the woman behind it.  She said that Kara Zor-El Danvers can be a brighter symbol of hope than Supergirl ever was.”_ Kara’s voice was heavy with emotion.  _“I don’t know about all that.  But she believes it.  She believes in me.  And I will do everything in my power to live up to that belief.  To be the person she believes me to be.  If I can be an inspiration to the people of National City, I feel so honoured by that responsibility and trust.  But Lena, and the rest of my family, are the ones who inspire me.  They are my heroes.”_

Sam was too moved to pay attention to the pleasantries exchanged between the two women as the interview concluded.  She had eyes only for the Kara Zor-El Danvers in the room with her, and she could feel that she wasn’t the only one.  All eyes were on Kara now, and not a one of them was dry.  Kara, in particular, was full-on crying now.  “I mean it.  I love you all.  **_You’re_** my heroes.”  Ruby and Eliza stood at the same time and rushed over, and a big group hug ensued.


	52. Naked in Bed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long day (the past few chapters have all depicted that first day in which Kara was outed as Supergirl), and our three laides wind down at the end of it, together in bed. Not much happens, this is pure fluff, with a bit of angst and sexiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a while, but I'm going through a lot in my life right now. Hope you enjoy this. Not sure how often I'll be posting for the next couple of months, but I'll try.

** Chapter 52 **

Sam returned as quickly as she had disappeared, not that it appeared particularly fast to Kara’s eyes.  But for Lena, it had probably seemed like a flash.  Sam deposited a wine glass for Lena before flashing off again to grab hers and Kara’s.  Their recent discovery that Roltikkons not only made highly potent, yet bizarrely (and Kara meant that in the best possible way) flavourful wine, but that they were apparently well renowned for it, had been eye-opening.  It had totally changed Kara and Sam’s patterns of alcohol consumption.   The robust violet beverage was made from a grape-like fruit that couldn’t be grown on Earth, and the closest tasting Earth wine that Kara could compare it to was a Cabernet Franc.  It had the same earthy notes with a distinct scent, but not quite the distinctive black olive and blueberry notes of the Franc.  There was really no comparison, but it was wonderful.

And it actually got them drunk, in the right amounts!

Sam settled back in, setting her glass next to Kara’s as she cuddled back into her side.  On Kara’s other side, Lena eyed Sam in a manner that Kara could only think to label as lusty, which was bonkers considering how much sex they had just finished having.  Ruby had long gone to bed, and after dropping Eliza off at Alex and Maggie’s for the night (she was staying there tonight, then headed back to Midvale in the morning), the three of them had flown directly into the penthouse bedroom, not even bothering to close the balcony door behind them.  Now, an hour later, all three of them were enjoying a very naked nightcap, before Sam headed back to her house.

“Creampuff, you look like you want to eat Sam.”

“In a manner of speaking, I suppose that is true, darling.”  Lena’s eyes didn’t waver from Sam’s body, and Kara rolled her own.  She could tell from Lena’s tone that she wasn’t actually as horny as she appeared—she was simply making a show of appreciating the raw sensuality that was Sam’s form.  Not that Kara could disagree with that sentiment.  “But if you would like me to stop objectifying our girlfriend, you could’ve just said so.”  Lena’s eyes shifted from Sam’s hips to Kara’s face as she teased the blonde, the mischievous glint readily apparent in those pale green orbs.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, Lee, but you’re kind of a massive dork sometimes.”  The reaction was immediate—Lena’s expression went from wry to pouty in an instant.  Sam only laughed.  “Sorry, babe.  Feel free to objectify me anytime—I mean I am sexy as hell.”  She gestured towards her own body for emphasis.  “But you’re so transparent when you’re doing it to provoke a reaction out of Kara.”

 Lena blushed ever so slightly, before immediately rising up with a rejoinder.  Kara loved to watch the banter between her two partners.  They were such an interesting match of wits, with years of practice in calling each other’s subtle little ticks and habits out.  “I **_am_** capable of doing both, you know.  Genuinely admiring your physical form and pushing dear Kara’s buttons are not mutually exclusive, thank god.”

Sam giggled.  “Well we definitely agree on that point.”

“Hey!”  Kara could feel her nose crinkle as she protested.  She loved Lena and Sam’s banter, but unfortunately it almost always inevitably segued into some comment about Kara being awkward or easily roused.  She crossed her arms, fixing a pout to her face.  Unfortunately, her posture backfired.

“Kara, sweetie, I know you’re trying to pout, but all we’re seeing is how incredible your cleavage looks when you cross your arms like that,” Sam teased, her eyes firmly fixed on Kara’s chest.  Kara inhaled, then exhaled in frustration.  **_Of course_** _it had backfired._   Lena and Sam always knew how to turn her into a sputtering mess, and there was nothing she could do about it.  As infuriating as it was, part of her did find a bit of (very secret) pleasure in how well they knew her.  Even if it meant knowing how to easily push all her buttons.

“Kara Zor-El, the only person I know who is capable of being so delightfully silly while also being so incredibly sexy at the very same time.”  Kara didn’t know exactly how to feel about Lena’s compliment, but she had no doubt it **_was_** a compliment.  “You know, if I had any doubt in my mind that Kara was Supergirl, it dissipated with my first real conversation with the Girl of Steel.”

Sam propped an elbow on Kara’s shoulder, making a show of resting her head on her hand in rapt interest.  “Story time!”  Kara sighed but couldn’t help being a little curious what spin Lena would put on this particular retelling of the familiar story.

“Well, I was putting on my first big L-Corp gala in National City since the rebranding, and Kara was the first—and technically only—person I invited personally.”

“Untrue!” Kara blurted out.  “You **_technically_** invited Mon-El too.”

“Oh please,” Lena retorted.  “That was only because he happened to be there when I invited you, and I was trying to hide the massive crush I so obviously had on you.”  Sam snickered, smiling widely at them.  She was loving this.  “Regardless, I really wanted Kara there, thanks to the aforementioned crush, but I also **_needed_** Supergirl there.”

“She had an ulterior motive!”  Kara was suddenly feeling playful, looking for chances to punch holes in Lena’s story or provoke a reaction from her for a change.  Alas, she didn’t take the bait.

“Indeed I did.  You see, my mother had been providing stolen alien weapons to a local gang, expressly for the purpose of causing trouble for Supergirl.  Once I saw the potential damage they could do to her, I became determined to get them off the streets.  I built a device that would depower and disarm the weapons, but I needed to draw out the gang.”  Kara’s chest tightened and warmed at the same time.  She knew that Lena had been angling to go after the gang, but she had always assumed, once she eventually realized that Lillian was behind the weapons, that Lena had done it to stop her mother.  She was, after all, always working to counteract the evil committed by her family—it was one of her biggest motivations in life.  Kara hadn’t realized that Lena had actually been focused primarily on protecting her, even back then.  On instinct, she leaned over and kissed Lena firmly.

“Even then, you were my hero.  Even if I didn’t quite realize it yet.”  Lena’s eyes danced with glee, her smile widening.

“Yes, well, I was only just starting to prove it to you then.  But back to the story.  I knew that I needed Supergirl at the party, both to draw out the gang and to distract them while I activated the hidden device.”

“And to protect your guests,” Kara butted in, narrowing her eyes.

“But of course, darling,” Lena answered nonchalantly.  “So, I needed Supergirl, and I turned to the only person I knew who could get in touch with her: Kara Danvers.”  Sam chuckled.  “I was already fairly certain the two were one and the same, but even so, I was more than a little curious how Kara would handle keeping up the façade if she promised to be there as both her personas.  And some tiny part of me was open to the chance I was wrong about her identity, even if the odds of that were miniscule.”

Kara glanced over at Sam, who was just eating the story up.  Kara sighed again, trying to be as dramatic as possible.  Paying her no mind, Lena continued, “I asked Kara to get me in touch with Supergirl, who promptly showed up on my balcony later that night.  Our dear Kara, as you can imagine, was quite stern with me, trying to convince me not to be so—how did you put it darling?  Risky?  But once I knew I had convinced her to come, I couldn’t resist poking her.  I wanted to see what would happen.  And I was **_not_** disappointed.”

“Whaaaaat are you even talking about?” Kara asked, confused.  She remembered the night vividly.  She had played her Supergirl part perfectly.  Confident.  Stern.  Authoritative, but warm.  What did Lena mean?

“I smiled brightly at her—” Lena paused, grinning as she considered her expression in that moment, “—in fact, it was a smile that only Kara Danvers had seen since my big move.  So already I suppose I was disarming her, in a way, though it wasn’t entirely intentional.  Anyway, I smiled and asked ‘So **_Kara and I_** will see you tomorrow night?’”

“You didn’t!” Sam exclaimed.  Kara blushed, shaking her head.  No.  No way.  She had hidden her panic in that moment so well, waiting until just before she flew away to mutter ‘crap’ under her breath.

“I did!  And she panicked!”

“Pssh! Uhhhh no I didn’t!  I held it together really well,” Kara protested, her voice rising slightly as the speech patterns sped up.

“Love, you absolutely did.  Maybe someone else wouldn’t have noticed, but that moment of dumbfounded silence was pure Kara Danvers.  Your face just froze in that way it used to when you needed that extra second to formulate a way to protect your identity.  Then you said ‘right’ to give yourself another second, before walking around me as you confirmed that you and Kara **_both_** would be there.”  Lena raised an eyebrow towards Sam.  “She was so clearly trying to hide her face from me, and the way she emphasized the word ‘both’ couldn’t have been a more obvious giveaway.  It was adorable, Sam.”

Sam planted a sloppy kiss on Kara’s cheek, then responded, “I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out myself.  The minute she told me, it was all so fucking obvious.  Like ‘duh, of **_course_** you’re Supergirl.  You’re fucking identical.”  Sam sighed, then explained in a farcical voice, “I’m brilliant, but I’m just not quite Lena Luthor brilliant, you know?”

Lena grinned fiercely.  “Be fair to yourself darling—it isn’t like you had ever interacted with Supergirl in person, prior to Kara telling you the truth.  I’m sure if the Girl of Steel had come calling, you would’ve figured out in mere minutes that she was actually the cute blonde you were crushing on.”

“My best friend’s girlfriend, you mean?” 

“Indeed,” Lena answered, then gestured to the three of them, cuddling naked on top of the sheets, each with a glass of wine in hand.  “And look at us all now!”  All three of them burst out laughing. 

~~~~

Sam pondered for a minute, before venturing, “You know, if we had slept together before she told me, I would’ve figured it out.”

Lena rolled her eyes.  “Yes, well, speaking a dead alien language in her sleep **_would_** tend to be a dead giveaway, darling.”   Sam gaped.  That wasn’t even what she had been thinking of—she had meant that being physical together would’ve given Kara away.  Taking things a step further, Lena affected her best Kara tone before pretending to fall back asleep and utter some very strange sounding syllables in a soft voice.  Both she and Kara burst into laughter yet again.

Envy spiked just slightly in Sam’s chest.  She was, technically, a Kryptonian, but she definitely didn’t speak the language.  Lena, meanwhile, had become fluent, and the odd language sounded even more melodic on her tongue that it did Kara’s.  That hint of Irish, Sam supposed.  She caught Kara looking at her, a slight twinge of twinkling in those crystal blue orbs.  She smiled weakly, knowing that Kara had already found her out. 

The blonde stroke a hand against Sam’s bare thigh before asking, “What is it?” 

Sam hesitated.  She felt stupid.  But she knew Kara and Lena wouldn’t judge her.  But instead of calmly and rationally explaining her thoughts, she got ahead of herself and blurted out, “I don’t speak Kryptonian!”

Kara’s expression didn’t change, save for a slight uptick of the corners of her lips.  Her hand continued its slow, gentle stroke along Sam’s thigh.  “Would you like to?”

Sam nodded.  “I mean, what I’m saying is that I’m a little jealous that Lena speaks it.  I mean… **_I’m_** Kryptonian, technically.  Shouldn’t I learn the language?”

Kara giggled.  “Yes, well, good luck telling Kal that.”  Sam and Lena exchanged a knowing look—Kara’s cousin was always a tricky subject.  “He learned just enough of it from the hologram of his father to be able to find his way around that fortress of his, and his pronunciation is just awful.  Sounds more like German than Kryptonian, if I’m being perfectly honest.”  Kara’s nose scrunched up in that adorable way it did when she was perplexed by someone.  Then her face lit up as she turned back to Sam.  “But I’d love to teach you!  Then the three of us would have our own secret language!”

“Well, the three of us and Lex, anyway.”  Lena’s face dropped, and her cheeks reddened in embarrassment.  She clearly hadn’t meant to say that aloud, and an awkward silence set in.  Sam had given Lena’s long-lost brother a second thought in at least a year.  But of **_course_** he spoke Kryptonian.  He had been obsessed with Superman even before they had become rivals and then mortal enemies.  Even Sam didn’t know that full backstory, and she briefly wondered how much Lena had told Kara.  She suspected even Lena didn’t know the full extent of Lex’s obsession, even though the siblings had been terribly close when Sam was first getting to know Lena.

“Yes,” Kara agreed softly, “and Lex.  But he won’t be speaking Kryptonian to anyone, for any reason, ever again.”  Her voice was quiet, but as steely as Sam had ever heard it.  She hadn’t ever discussed Lex with Kara—clearly she had some issues with the man, and Sam had no clue whether that had more to do with his history with Lena or with Kal.  _Kal._   Sam supposed she had gotten used to Kara calling him that, enough that she didn’t mentally think of him as ‘Superman’ anymore.

“Sorry.  I genuinely did not intend to take the conversation in that direction.”  Lena pulled at the sheet beneath her, as if some subconscious part of her felt the need to physically hide her embarrassment.  Kara instantly put a hand over Lena’s.

“It’s okay, silly.”  Sam smiled softly at the two of them.  Kara was so fiercely protective of Lena, even when that protectiveness was displayed in the gentlest of ways.  “You don’t have to pretend with us, creampuff.  Lex was a big part of your life.  Just because he went down a path you couldn’t follow doesn’t mean you can’t still think of him sometimes.”  Lena released a heavy breath she had apparently been holding, relaxing visibly at Kara’s reassuring words.

Sam’s mind leapt back to the Lex Luthor she remembered from when she was rising up the ranks of Luthor Corp’s finance division.  The CEO had been enigmatic, but in a way that was all passion and charisma.  He and Lena had been so similar in some ways—their brilliance, ambition, and creativity especially—but Lex wore it differently.  He was all polish and shine where Lena was shade and hidden depths.  She hadn’t known him very well, but she suspected he was the only person who knew the full extent of her relationship with Lena back then.  The couple times Lena had introduced her, there was a spark of realization in his always analytical eyes, which were so eerily similar to Lena’s own.  Those two had been so close.  It still amazed Sam, the fact that Lena had been able to recover from that loss. 

“Sam?”  Lena’s own voice brought her back to the present.

“Sorry!  What were you saying?”

She looked at her with a curious expression but didn’t push the inquiry.  “I was saying that I can work on a lesson plan of sorts if you’d like.  Kara was—” Lena paused, measuring her words carefully, “—a very umm **_nurturing_** teacher, but I think I might be able to improve upon her methods a bit.” 

Kara shot an outraged look at Lena before her face was overtaken by excitement again.  “I’m going to ignore that.  But only because this will be so much fun!  I love love love things that we can do as a threesome!”  Kara’s joy was infectious, and Sam felt her face lift into an impossibly bright smile.  A thought sprung to mind out of nowhere.

“Hey Kara?  How come you don’t have an accent?”  Lena blinked rapidly on Kara’s other side, and Sam grinned a little on the inside.  The question hadn’t occurred to Lena, but it was a good one.  Kara’s formative language-learning years had been on Krypton.

“I did, at first.”  Kara chuckled.  “I don’t know if you realize this, but English is a really unwieldy language.  When I came to Earth, I had an abstract working knowledge of every language in common usage on this planet.”  This time it was Sam’s turn to gape.  _That’s … several thousand languages.  At least._   Kara smiled.  “Don’t forget that I was trapped, semi-conscious, in a timeless void for 24 years.  My pod’s AI took the time to transfer all the basics I would need for my life here—languages, basic cultural customs, laws, that sort of stuff—while I slept.”  Sam nodded.  That made sense.  But the sheer breadth of it was still stunning.  Kara’s mind was a remarkable thing.  Sam wondered if she was capable of that sort of knowledge acquisition.  _Are Kryptonian brains more advanced in some way, or is it just a technological advantage?_

“Anyway, my pod actually landed in China, but Kal found me almost immediately.  When he started speaking to me in English, my brain jumped right in, but my mouth was completely unpracticed at forming the right shapes for correct pronunciation.  It took months of focused study with the Danvers before I was able to approximate something like an American accent.  And even then, I still tended to speak much more formally than the other kids felt was natural for a couple of years after that.  I was picked on a lot, until I learned the natural rhythms and idioms and turns of phrases necessary to fit in fully.”

Sam’s heart warmed as she pictured a teenage Kara, trying her hardest to learn slang and be like all the human children around her.  Right around Ruby’s age.  Then she thought of how hard it must have been for her, as a refugee—a literal alien—and she bristled at the thought of Kara being bullied.  “I bet Alex kicked so many kids’ asses,” she mused aloud, drawing a bit of laughter from her girlfriends.

“She did,” Kara confirmed.  “We had our ups and downs, but if there’s one thing Danvers women don’t lack for, it’s empathy.  And protectiveness.  I couldn’t stand up for myself—there was too much danger that I could accidentally hurt someone.  So, Alex took it upon herself to defend me.  She’s never really stopped, I suppose.”

“I’m amazed she managed to stay on her honeymoon, if we’re all be perfectly honest,” Lena joked.  Though it really wasn’t a joke.  They all knew that Alex’s first instinct upon learning what Lillian had done would’ve been to jump on the first flight back to National City.  It said a lot about her own growth, her love for Maggie, and her trust in Kara and especially in Sam and Lena’s ability to look after Kara, that she had stayed where she was.

“But,” Kara brought the conversation back on topic, “I’m sure Lena will be a great teacher.  You might not pick it up as quickly as you did flying, but we can practice together all the time.”  Sam thought of her first time flying, how hesitant and shaky she had felt.  It was amazing how far she had come in such a short time.  And then she remembered her feelings from earlier in the night.

“You know… I’m actually a little jealous of you,” Sam admitted.  Kara looked at her quizzically, and Lena peered over the top of her wine glass with a similar level of curiosity.  “I … you just.  You seem so free now that you don’t have to pretend to be human anymore.  I noticed it earlier, when you came home and changed.  Then you did the dishes. And … you just.”  Sam sighed.  “It’s funny that you mention figuring out flying.  It’s like one minute all my powers felt new and crazy, and now it’s just a few months later, and slowing myself down all the time has just become such a fucking drag, you know?”

Kara’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t say anything.  For maybe five seconds.  Then she wagged her finger at Sam.  “Okay but you know that like everyone is in **_so_** much more danger just so that I can flit about at full speed, right? **_Right?!_** ”  Her tone was so scolding, but her face was so cute.  Sam couldn’t help but grin back. 

“Babe, we’re going to get through this.  You’re going to be okay.  **_We’re_** going to be okay.  Lena will protect us.”  Lena snorted, not seeing the joke coming.  But there was a subtle shadow to her features.  Something was going on there.  She filed away the thought before turning back to Kara.  “Seriously.  It was incredible tonight, getting to see you just be yourself.  Especially with Ruby.  She was so delighted by it all.”

“She’ll get used to it before long,” Kara reassured.  “You watch, by this time next week, she’ll be all like ‘what took you so long?’ if I’m not instantaneously in a room when she calls me.”  All three of them chuckled.

“I’m still not 100 percent used to it myself, darling, and I’ve been living with you for months.”  There was definitely a note in Lena’s voice that didn’t quite match up with the otherwise delighted tone.  But her point was dead on.

“Lena’s underselling it.  Kara, do you have any fucking clue how big a Supergirl fan my daughter is?”  Kara’s smile could’ve lit the room in that moment.  “She’s never going to get tired of it.  I just wish …”

“That she could look at you that way,” Kara finished, her eyes wide and worried.  “Oh sweetie, do you just want to tell her?  I know it’s a burden, but she handled my--”

“No,” Sam answered firmly.  “I’m not gonna make my daughter’s life more difficult just to make mine a little easier.  In three years, she’ll be going off to college, hopefully somewhere far away from all this.”  Sam’s heart broke at the thought of her baby girl so far away, growing up into a young woman so quickly.  But she’d be safer.  “Maybe we can tell her then.  Maybe.”  She swallowed.  “Things are going to be hard enough on her when it comes out that her mom is in a polyamorous triad with Supergirl and Lena Luthor.”

She winced.  She just knew that Ruby would brazenly stand up to any bullies who tried to talk shit about her mom’s unorthodox love life.  She hated that society treated anyone who was different with such derision and fear.  She hated that her daughter would suffer for her choices, no matter how proud she was of her love for her partners.

~~~~

The wave of guilt that hit Lena came out of nowhere.  This was the first time Sam had ever admitted to her that she struggled with being Kryptonian while still pretending to be human.  There was so much about Sam’s acclimation to life as a Kryptonian that she didn’t know about.  So many adventures and experiences she had gone through with Kara while Lena shunned her. 

“Ruby’s a strong kid,” Kara reassured Sam.  “And she’s so proud of you, even if she doesn’t know the half of what you’ve been through.  She’s so strong.  She’ll be just fine, and we’ll protect her.  All of us.  _El Mayarah._ ”

Sam snorted.  “Even I know that one.”  She smiled a little, then turned a concerned eye towards Lena.  “So, you gonna tell us what’s bugging you, Lee?”  _Shit.  How do I …?_

”I’m just … realizing that I didn’t … I mean, I missed …”  She sighed.  May as well be out with it.  “I missed **_everything_**.  All of your training.  All of your adjustment to life with powers.  All of it.”

Kara looked at her knowingly.  “And you’re suddenly feeling very guilty about it, because that’s what Lena Luthor does.”  Sam rolled her eyes.

“Kara, darling, you’re not seriously mocking me right now, are you?”

“You’ve done the whole guilty thing enough already, Lee.  It’s tired.  We’re all very over it.”  Sam’s wry smile was almost gorgeous enough to distract Lena from how taken aback she felt.  “Don’t give me that look,” Sam scolded.  “Look.  It’s all good now.  We’ve been over this too many times.  I’ve forgiven you.  We’re drinking wine, in bed, completely naked, with Kara.”  Lena snorted.  “Everything is fine.  Let it go.”  Kara started humming the tune from _Frozen_ , and Lena and Sam rolled their eyes in unison. 

Sam set her glass down and took Lena’s hand.  “Look, we’ll start here.  Ask me something.  Anything.  About that time.”

“Ooooooo yes!”  Kara jumped in.  “We’ve got stooooories!”

Lena smiled.  How did she get so lucky?  She knew this was something she continued to struggle with, her tendency to saddle herself down with guilt and blame and to wallow in it alone.  Maybe she should schedule another session with Dr. Letamendi … but that would have to wait until **_after_** …  For now, maybe laughter was the best balm for her guilty conscience.  “What was the most embarrassing part of adjusting to your powers?”

Sam exhaled dramatically.  “Wow, you’re really just gonna start there, huh?”  She paused, before offering a very strange admission.  “Well, there **_was_** all that egg on my face.”

Lena’s eyes narrowed.  “You mean … figuratively?”

Kara giggled.  “No, she absolutely means literally.  You see, when I first came to Earth, that was what Eliza thought up for how to train me to be gentle.  I was so terrified to touch **_anything_** for fear of breaking it with this uncontrollable strength I wasn’t used to.  I mean … you saw how Sam nearly destroyed the balcony at the DEO when she landed that first time.”  Lena remembered the incident vividly.  She had still been in a bit of shock, having trouble believing that she had actually exorcised Reign from Sam, and then all of a sudden just as Kara was setting her down inside the DEO, that massive crack had startled her.  Followed by Sam’s shriek as she plowed right through the concrete and steel and balcony.  Kara had to catch all the rubble, and J’onn had immediately saddled Sam with several kryptonite bracelets to try to lessen the damage she could do.

“You left, and once Alex ran some tests on me to be sure Reign was gone despite leaving her powers intact, Kara had to run me through a crash course before they could send me home to Ruby.  Couldn’t have me accidentally hurting Ruby or giving myself away.” 

“So, I got a bunch of eggs.  And she didn’t leave until she could take one out of the carton, grip it firmly, toss it in the air and catch it, and return it to the carton without a crack.”

“Hence all the egg on my face,” Sam quipped.

“Jesus fucking Christ, how many eggs did you go through?”  Lena couldn’t stop smiling at the thought of some basement level DEO room, covered in splattered egg yolks.”

“I tasllied it up as I cleaned once we were done.  In total, Sam broke 155 eggs before she was able to handle that last egg without damaging it.  Alex actually figured out a way to remove the yolk with a needle, and then fill the egg with some sort of material that solidified to strengthen the shell and hold the shape.  Then we decorated it with the crest of the House of El in black and red to symbolize Sam’s accomplishment.”

“The colours just felt right, and that’s actually where I got my idea for Power Girl,” Sam added.  “The costume, not the stupid name.”  Sam smiled.  “I’ve still got the egg.”  Lena’s chest filled with pride, followed immediately by the return of the guilt she felt as though she could never escape.

“I wish I had stayed around for that… except that I don’t suppose I would’ve really appreciated it then as I do now.”  Lena frowned, looking down at her hands.  She sucked in a startled breath as Sam’s finger was immediately on her chin, lifter her head into a firm kiss.

“Seriously, babe.  Cut it out.  You missed out on fun egg adventures.  That sucks.  Whatever.  There will be more adventures.  You will be there.  And for now, we have stories to tell you.  It’s a win-win really.”  Lena nodded, and now there was nothing but affection flowing through her.  Kara and Sam both smiled brightly at her, and she felt a fierce protectiveness for them.  These magical beings loved her, and she loved them back with all the considerable ferocity a Luthor was capable of.  She would die for these women.  If it came to it, and she suspected it might soon, she would also **_kill_** for them.

“Leeeeeena let me tell you about Sam’s early misadventures with heat vision,” Kara squealed, dispelling the brief darkness from Lena’s mind.  Sam groaned.

“Fuck me, Lena is going to love this bullshit.”  She took a sip of wine before waggling her eyebrows at Lena.  “Our dear sweet innocent Kara is actually a huge perv, it turns out.”

Kara blushed intensely.  “You hush!  You’re making it into something it wasn’t.”

 “Am I now?”  Sam challenged.  “Tell Lena the story then; we’ll let her decide.”  She took her wine glass and hovered over to the other side of the bed, ostensibly so that she could watch Lena’s reactions.  Kara shook her head theatrically, then launched into the story.

“So, obviously our initial training focused on flight, strength, and tuning out all the distractions forced on us by having super senses.”

“Fuck me, I didn’t love that.”  Sam spat.  Lena had some idea, based on what Kara had told her about her first few days on Earth.  Trapped in a world bursting through the seams with sights, sounds, smells, and even tastes.  With all of it dialed up to eleven.  It sounded nightmarish, and she hoped Kara had helped Sam adjust to that part quickly.

“Fortunately, you caught onto that pretty quickly.  Maybe some sort of latent muscle memory from Reign.  Trust me, it could’ve been much worse,” Kara assured her.  “Anyway, heat vision and freeze breath—”

“I still think those names are dumb, and I’ll tell Kal’s hickville parents that if I ever get a chance,” Sam interrupted, earning a harsh, scolding glare from Kara.

“The Kents are from **_Smallville_** , and they are sweet, decent people.  Even if they’re a little small-minded.  You will leave them alone, Samantha.”  She turned back to Lena, face instantly melting from hard to soft in that way that was unique to Kara.  “When we finally got around to heat vision, Sam couldn’t quite figure out how to get it to work.  It’s actually one of the more difficult powers to master.  And even more difficult to explain.”

Sam hummed in agreement, grinning impishly as she waited for Kara to try.  The blonde continued, ignoring her.  “So ummm… it’s a little bit tied into emotions.  I mean … not really, but it’s like adrenaline and stuff right?  Like when you can run faster and hit harder when you’re angry or scared.  Heat vision is the same way.  The easiest way to summon it is to get worked up.”

“That’s not **_quite_** how you phrased it then, Blondie.”

“Ugh.  Fine.  I **_may_** have told Sam she needed to get hot and bothered.”  The laughter escaped Lena swiftly and shrilly.  Kara sighed as Sam gloated.  “I didn’t mean it **_like that_**.”

“Yes you did!”  Sam apparently couldn’t hold back anymore.  “She told me that the easiest way for her was to get mad.”  Lena could confirm this.  She had seen Kara’s eyes light up with that terrifying orange glow when her rage threatened to overpower her.  “But I wasn’t mad about anything, and I couldn’t force it.  So, she suggested that I get hot and bothered in **_some other way._   **I swear to god, Lena, that’s exactly how she phrased it.”  Lena snickered.

“Hey!  It worked, didn’t it?!”  Kara looked like she was about to die of embarrassment.

“Yes, you didn’t exactly have trouble getting me **_hot_** and **_bothered_** once you put your mind to it,” Sam purred.  “Though that did make it hard to focus on shooting lasers out of my eyes.” 

“It’s just … it’s like you have to feel the heat inside of you, then direct it out.  And that’s what you did!  …  Eventually.”  Lena’s mind danced with thoughts of Kara getting Sam all worked up, while trying to teach her at the same time.  _Wow, I wish I hadn’t missed that._  

“I wish I could know what you mean,” Lena thought aloud, wistfully.  The wine was starting to get to her, and all her barriers were down now.  “It’s hard for me, sometimes, always being so painfully aware that I’m the only human in this relationship.”  A dark cloud passed over Sam’s face, then she scooted closer.

Sam took the wine glass from Kara’s and set it down, before scooting even closer, wrapping her legs loosely around Lena so that they were face-to-face.  Sam’s eyes flooded with emotion, though Lena couldn’t quite place it.  Guilt, maybe?  But why?  She cupped her hands around Lena’s face.

“Hey, I know I told you we’re past all that stuff, but you know I’m sorry too, right?”  Lena’s face crinkled a bit in confusion.  “I didn’t do it intentionally, but I know I got really wrapped up in the superhero schtick at first.  I know you took it personally.  That you thought I thought less of the good we were doing together at L-Corp.”  She smiled, almost reassuringly.  “But I didn’t.  I **_don’t_**.  Yes, you’re human.  But, Lena, you’re incredible.  You’re the biggest hero of the three of us.”  She reached out to Kara, who had scooted closer herself.  “You’re **_our_** hero.”

Lena hadn’t been fishing for praise, but it still felt pretty nice.  Kara jumped in with some praise of her own.  “Lena, your mind is going to change the world.  All we can do is punch bad guys and stuff.”

“That’s not nothing.  You know, I could always build myself a suit like Lex had—minus all the kryptonite of course.  Really get out there and punch people with my girls.  Fly around.”  She grinned.  “Ooo!  I could tint it gold.  We could call me ‘Goldstar.’”  Sam laughed, immediately catching the joke that went straight over Kara’s head.  “But you’re probably right.  My talents will be more effectively utilized in the lab and the boardroom.  My point is just that I will do anything it takes to protect you both.  And Ruby.  You’re my family.”  Her smile fell away.  “And that means I’ve gotta do something about Lillian, immediately.”

~~~~

Kara was instantly worried with the turn their conversation had taken.  Lillian had been on the edge of Lena’s mind all day, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could ignore the barely concealed venom in Lena’s voice when she said her mother’s name. 

“Kara, don’t look at me like that.  You know I’m right.  Every time we’ve tried to do the right thing with her … she always gets away.  And leaves more bodies in her wake.”  Lena closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the headboard.  She didn’t want to have this conversation any more than Kara did.  When she reopened her eyes, she met Kara’s anxious gaze.  “How long do you think it’ll take for someone to discover this?”  Lena gestured to the three of them.

“I don’t know, a week maybe?”  Lena’s lips pressed tight, her brow furrowing.

“I’ll be surprised if we have that long, frankly.”  Lena traced her finger across Sam’s collarbone.  “And when that happens, it isn’t going to take my mother long to put two and two together.  She knows Supergirl and Power Girl are together.  While there’s not any high-resolution shots of Reign’s face, her mask wasn’t exactly full coverage.  My mother’s smart.  She’s going to figure out that Power Girl is Sam.”  Lena’s hand moved from Sam’s clavicle, as she placed a hand firmly on each of Sam’s shoulders.  “And I’m not letting her have you.  She won’t get an opportunity to hurt you or Ruby.  I refuse to let it happen.  I’m going to catch her before then.  Starting first thing in the morning.”

Kara knew that Lena was right.  But she hated the dire implications.  The threat Lena couldn’t quite keep out of her tone.  If she got the chance, she wasn’t talking about taking Lillian into custody.  In Lena’s mind, that’s too big a risk at this point.  Anxiety gripped her chest, worming its way icily out into her limbs.  She didn’t know if Lena was right.  She didn’t know how she felt about how willing Lena was to consider this.  Murder.

But now wasn’t the time to have this confrontation.  Not in the bed they all shared together.  Not when tonight had been so happy.  She couldn’t bear it.  So, she changed the subject.  “We’re not letting anything happen to Ruby.”  The anxiety didn’t go anywhere, but it was joined in her chest with the white hot passion she always felt when it came to protecting the people she loved.  She leaned her head against Sam’s shoulder.  “You know that I love her too, right?  I feel like … gosh, sometimes I feel like she’s mine too, you know?”

Kara’s eyes went wide, and her whole body shot up straight.  That had just sort of come out.  She absolutely hadn’t meant to say it out loud.  Sam grinned at her, watching her carefully out of the side of her eyes.  It was absolutely way too early in the relationship for her and Sam to be having this sort of discussion.  _How much wine did I have??_

“Calm down, Blondie.”

“Sam, I’m sorry.  I … I … wow, that just sort of came out.  I didn’t mean… I **_don’t_ ** mean.  I am not, I mean, maybe more like an older sister, you know?  That’s what I meant!  I just … I’m just saying I love her, and I will never let anyone—not bullies, not the press, and certainly not Lillian Luthor—hurt her.”

Sam ran a hand through her hair softly.  “Stop freaking out.  It’s okay.  I know how you feel about Ruby.  It’s nothing to be afraid of.”  She shifted her gaze to Lena, then back to Kara.  “Hell, it was just this morning— ** _fuck me_** , this has been the longest day ever, hasn’t it?—that the three of us were just chatting casually about the idea of marriage.  I think it’s okay to admit that we’re all in this for the long haul, right?”

Lena nodded, and Kara did too.  Emotions were running high, and it wasn’t solely because of the wine.  Sam kissed Kara’s forehead before adding, “Ruby’s **_my_** daughter, but she looks up to you both as mentors and yeah, parental figures.  You don’t have to take on any more responsibility than you’re ready for, but trust me, I know you both would do anything for her.”  Lena and Sam exchanged a worryingly cryptic look  “And I think we’ve all had enough wine for the night.”

“You’re right,” Lena agreed.  “It’s been a long day.  We should probably get some sleep. You staying the night?”

Sam shook her head.  “I should get home.  Need to stay close to Ruby the next few days while everything is still up in the air.”  She kissed Lena, passionately.  “I’ll see you at work in the morning?”

“I’ll be there, bright and early,” Lena promised.  “But I’ll need you and Kaziah to handle the day-to-day.  My focus will be **_elsewhere_**.”  _Meaning Lillian,_ Kara thought. 

Sam turned back to Kara, leaning in to kiss her goodbye.  Sam’s lips were soft and warm against Kara’s.  “Night, Blondie.  Get some rest.”

“I love you.” 

Sam sped into her clothes, tossing an “I love you, too,” back towards her girls before taking off down the hall.


	53. Descent into Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena tracks down Lillian, and our threesome move to take her down, at great personal cost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took a lot out of me, and it really feels like the culmination of a lot of the themes and character growth for Lena that I've been playing with throughout this story, not to mention how far our ladies have come as a triad. I know it's kinda dark, and it's supposed to be. But I'd really appreciate any comments you have on this chapter in particular. We're in the final stretch of the story now, and I'm kinda feeling existentially sad about it.

** Chapter 53 **

_That’s it!_ Lena hadn’t slept much the past three days, but it was now definitively worth it.  She had found what she was looking for, even if she had already received a scolding from Kara on three separate occasions about being too obsessed with finding her mother.  But there was no telling when it was going to get out that Kara and Lena were dating Sam, and there’s no way that Lillian wouldn’t figure out Power Girl’s identity at that point.  Her only hope of protecting Sam and Ruby from that public revelation was to find—and stop—her mother before the press caught wind of the full extent of their relationship.

If Lillian figured out that Sam is Power Girl, she would immediately leak that information.  And it wasn’t hard to imagine how things would escalate from there.  Lillian would muddy the waters, claiming that Power Girl was still Reign.  Cadmus would claim that Lena and Kara ere protecting a known murderer, calling her a danger to society.  Worse, a danger to Ruby.  Lena didn’t know how much weight Lillian’s words would carry, but it could very well lead to inquiries from child protective services.  Power Girl had been making progress, but Reign was very much still a terrifying spectre in the recent memories of the citizenry of National City.  And even if Sam’s custody over Ruby was safe, neither Sam nor Ruby would be.  Power Girl had many enemies: Cadmus and other anti-alien extremists, the rogues’ gallery she and Supergirl face, and anyone who still feared or wanted vengeance against Reign.  Probably others.  Ruby would instantly be a target.  At best, her life would be fundamentally changed—Lena was thinking home schooling in the DEO.  That’s best case.  Worst case was that Ruby got kidnapped, tortured, or even killed, just to get at Sam.

_No.  I can’t let that happen.  It **won’t** happen._

She had exhausted every possible avenue she could imagine trying to track Lillian down.  She had worked closely with Lucy and Vasquez at the DEO and with her own private detective.  They had poured over tons of information, interviewed everyone at the news channel, and had continuously turned up short.  Lena had dealt with the very real anxiety that everything was about to fall apart.  Lillian would get away with something, again, and while they had handled the crisis she threw at them admirably, with every passing moment, they risked giving her the opportunity to create a much more dangerous one.

Lena had solved the problem at a moment when she had least expected to blow the investigation wide open.  Frustrated, and on a whim, she had rewatched Lillian’s video, on the largest screen possible.  By this point, she had practically memorized the speech, and the subtle movements of her mother’s face.  The cold eyes expertly drawn into a façade of believable emotion.  Hair and clothes befitting a woman of means, rather than a terrorist on the run from the law.  Over and over, Lena had watched this monster decry her girlfriend and betray her most closely guarded secret.

And then, finally, she noticed it.  The background.  Something about the video had nagged at her from the very beginning, and she finally placed it.  She recognized the room in which Lillian had filmed the video.  It was all in the little details.  The hint of a windowsill at the right corner of the screen.  The lighter brown wood of the wall behind her.  That one painting that looked like it could be equally at home in a stodgy law firm’s conference room or a stodgy rich person’s third mansion.  This particular room was closer to the former than the latter.

Lillian Luthor was apparently holed up in a family vacation home.  Just not a Luthor one.  _You got cocky, Mother.  And now it will be your downfall._   The house was one of the lesser known (and never used) vacation properties of Lillian’s birth family, the Hamiltons.  It was an older home, equal parts mountain lodge and lake house on a fairly isolated lake in the northern Cascade Mountains in Washington.  In made for a smart hideaway, given its remoteness and proximity to the Canadian border.  Lena would’ve expected Lillian to cover up the background of the room she was in when she filmed her video for public consumption.  The woman was many things, but sloppy wasn’t one of them.  Either she believed the room was nondescript enough that no one could find it, or she intended to leave behind a clue, however slight.  But the only person for whom such a clue would make sense was Lena, and she was quite certain that Lillian had no idea Lena even knew about the property.

She had been there only once before, while traveling with Lex during summer vacation after she graduated from MIT.  The couple nights the siblings had spent there had been a secret part of the itinerary, which only made it stick out that much more firmly in Lena’s memory.  Not that her nearly flawless recall needed much help.  Late spring and early summer of that year, Lex had become fascinated by their family history, and apparently some of his research had turned up the old property.  He had always had an obsessive mind, but a single project rarely captivated him for more than a year, at the very most.  Many of them turned into interesting adventures when Lena would let herself get swept up in his mania, and this was one such occasion.

That entire trip had been special.  They had jumped across the entire globe for the better part of two months.  Lex had insisted that she deserved something special for graduating from MIT with degrees in mechanical engineering and biochemistry, all at the ripe old age of nineteen.  Lillian hadn’t supported the idea, calling it an indulgence that would distract Lex from his continuing rise up the ranks of LuthorCorp, but he had refused to take no for an answer.  And he had conducted plenty of business along the way.  Lena could still remember the pleasant feel of pride and affection in her chest when Lex had so dismissively shut down Lillian’s final attempt to talk him out of the trip.  The gleam in his eyes when he talked about the wonders that the Luthor siblings would accomplish together.  The pride on his youthful features.  Despite the added burdens that had been heaped upon him after their father’s tragic death the year prior, Lex had always found time to nurture Lena back then, to mentor her along her ‘path to greatness’ (as he always, not so jokingly, referred to it).

 The final leg of the trip was along the west coast of the U.S. and Canada, starting with National City and ending with a short stop in the Vancouver area before heading back to Metropolis.  The old Hamilton home had been a complete surprise to Lena.  The car ride there—just Lex and Lena in a rented convertible, enjoying old rock and roll classics as they made their way through the winding mountains—had been such a delight.  Lena’s heart fought a strange battle in her chest as she swam through the memories.  That might have been the happiest period of her life prior to meeting Kara.  The sheer joy and nostalgia of the recollection threatened to overwhelm her, but it was so confusingly mixed with all the familiar pain she felt when she thought of Lex as he used to be.  Their exploration of the lodge and the surrounding nature had been so peaceful.  One of the few truly laidback moments of the trip.  Lex had confessed that he hadn’t talked to anyone about the place—hadn’t even confirmed that it was truly as unused as he believed it to be—before swearing Lena that the excursion would remain a secret between the two of them, come what may.

She wondered if Lex had remembered it as fondly as she did.  To the point of making it one his remote bases in his cold—and then decidedly not cold—war against Superman.  Maybe Lillian hadn’t been the one to convert the place to a Cadmus base at all; maybe she had simply inherited it from her son.  He wouldn’t have had much use for multiple west coast facilities, but a couple of them would’ve made sense, especially if he was working in conjunction with Cadmus. 

Was there a vault of anti-alien horrors hidden in some secret underground basement Lex had installed years after their trip together?  Her heart leapt into her throat, fully feeling that same panic that had gripped her when Lillian had revealed the other vault after framing and kidnapping her.  The haunting memories of that traumatic night grabbed at her.  That sterile glass and steel box rising out of the ground.  Lillian’s glee at the assorted instruments of xenophobic violence contained inside.  An image of the creepily pulsing Black Mercy sprung to mind.  She didn’t even know what it was at that time—Kara explained that disturbing story much later—but it made her shudder just to see it.  The memories of what Lex used those items for.  His battles with Superman.  How close the Kryptonian was to being defeated.  To being killed.  The possibility that Lillian could do the same to Kara.

The stuff Lex would keep in those vaults—Lena still had nightmares about it sometimes. Things that had the potential to hurt, maim, or possibly even kill Kara. And maybe Sam. Weapons that were otherwise beyond Lillian or Cadmus’ capabilities.  Lena’s chest tightened further.  _No!  She won’t get them.  She won’t take them from me.  We will survive you._ She cursed herself for failing to remember the lodge when she had begun her efforts to unearth and dismantle Lex’s off-the-books weapons projects.  Maybe her heart couldn’t go there, couldn’t tarnish one of her favourite memories.  And now the people she loved were in danger again.  _Fuck.  I have to get away from my family.  I have to end this._

Lena grabbed a nearby stack of bright pink post-it notes and threw it across the room in anger.  None of her happy memories with Lex were fully happy anymore.  They were all poisoned.  By what he had done.  Her proud, doting older brother had already tried to have her killed twice.  How does that happen?  She still couldn’t fathom how a person that caring could break so bad.  How could Lex love her more than anyone else in the world, and change so radically that less than a decade later, he literally wanted her dead?

 _Get over your hang ups, Lena.  You can be haunted by Lex again once Sam and Ruby are safe._ She stood, smoothed out her skirt, and walked over to retrieve the item she had thrown.  She had completed the most logistically difficult part of her mission—she had located Lillian.  Now she needed a plan for the most emotionally difficult part.

Lena was under no naïve moralistic self-deceptions.  She fully intended to kill Lillian.  She no longer trusted the justice system to handle this problem.  And … even if Lillian could be captured, tried, convicted, and put away, like Lex—what were the odds they could accomplish all that without Lillian finding out about Power Girl?  Without her finding a way to use that information as one last spiteful attempt to ruin their lives?   No. 

She knew what had to be done.  And at this point, that wasn’t even the emotionally difficult part.  Lena had killed before, more or less.  She shot John Corben twice in the gut, and he would’ve died if her mother hadn’t turned him into an overpowered Frankenstein’s monster.  But that hadn’t changed the feel of it in the moment, hadn’t lessened the moral consequences Lena had to wrestle with after learning that her decision would likely end someone’s life.  She knew her way around firearms well enough that she had shot not to kill, but simply to free Alex and keep Corben from escaping.  But she couldn’t pretend that she had gone out of her way to spare the life of the cold-blooded assassin hired by Lex to murder her.  There had been no legal consequences of her actions then.  She had never inquired too hard about that, but she suspected DEO intervention had helped ensure that she stayed off the NCPD radar, especially since Corben snatched from police custody on his way to the hospital. 

Lena had every intention of shooting Edge when he had poisoned all those children. Sure, she was drunk and depressed, but those were thin excuses.  The point was that she was perfectly willing to pull the trigger.  She also shot a Daxamite guard in the back and killed who knows how many others when she irradiated the air over National City with lead.  She was not new to the concept of taking the life of another.  But none of those others had been her mother. Except that her white hot rage at Lillian wasn't all that different from how she felt about Rhea, just more powerful.  She could still remember how she had wished she could've been the one to kill Rhea herself.  How poisoning her remotely was a pale consolation prize. Lena was struggling to avoid that lingering question she had so successfully buried in recent months. _Am I a true Luthor after all? What exactly am I capable of?_

She couldn’t lose herself down that hole.  Not right now.  She had to stay focused.  There was too much at stake.  _Will I be able to cover this one up?_ Lena felt trapped between a rock and a hard place.  She didn’t want Kara involved in this.  Murder—and that’s definitely what Lena was contemplating—wasn’t something that Kara was capable of being okay with, under any circumstances.  _She forgave Alex._   Kara, and later Alex, had told her the story of how Astra had died.  The situations were comparable, but not exactly the same.  Alex killed Astra because she believed it was the only way to stop Kara’s aunt from killing J’onn.  The knife Lillian was holding at Sam and Ruby’s throats was metaphorical, but no less dangerous in Lena’s estimation.  And this was no split-second decision, in the heat of battle.  Lena intended to commit full-fledged murder, with malice aforethought.  Careful planning.  A cold, calculated decision.

But she couldn’t do it alone.  There was every chance that Cadmus had ways of tracking Lena’s private jet, and even if she could get to the lodge undetected, there was no telling what sort of Cadmus presence was waiting there.  She was a decent marksman and had taken a few basic combat classes with Alex, but she had no shot at getting to her mother, killing her, and getting out alive.  Not that she wouldn’t sacrifice herself to protect Sam and Ruby.  She absolutely would—but she couldn’t risk failing to get to Lillian first. 

Besides, she couldn’t hide this from the women she loved.  Once upon a time, maybe she could’ve buried this sort of secret deep down, hidden it behind her many icy emotional walls.  But she wasn’t that person anymore, especially not with Kara.  Lena couldn’t even imagine how she would do it.  It was beyond reckoning.  She had to tell Kara.  And Sam.  She couldn’t do this without them. 

So then, the question was whether she could hide her full intentions.  Could she convince them that the mission was to capture, and only kill as a last resort?  Make it appear to be a split-second, heat of the moment decision.  Was that something Kara would have an easier time stomaching?  Forgiving her for?  Lena couldn’t imagine a scenario where Kara would agree to help her break into a Cadmus base for the express purpose of killing Lillian.  She would try to talk Lena out of it, would insist there was another way—but Lena knew there wasn’t.  And every second spent arguing about the morality of the mission was another second closer to their secrets spilling out further to the public.

 _I have to lie._   The thought of that physically sickened her.  It’s not that Lena wasn’t capable of it—she was an excellent liar when she needed to be.  Even Kara could attest to that, after everything that happened with the Medusa virus the first time they had managed to capture Lillian.  But she didn’t **_want_** to.  Things were so good with Kara and Sam.  Lena was as happy as she had ever been.  She had never been in love like this.  Had family like this. 

What would the fallout of this decision be?  Could she lose Kara?  Sam?  Lena suspected Sam would have an easier time with the morality of this decision, but she certainly didn’t feel confident in that assumption.  _Best case scenario is that I do what deception I have to in order to get us there, there’s some sort of firefight, and I kill Lillian in the battle.  And I am able to live, forever, with the knowledge that I lied to Kara and Sam, manipulated them in order to protect them._ Lena wasn’t entirely sure she was capable of even that anymore, but she had to try.  And even then, would Kara agree to cover it up?  Or would there need to be a DEO investigation into an unauthorized mission against Cadmus?  What would the legal consequences be? 

All that was beyond Lena’s control.  There was too much at stake not to risk it.  She had to trust that her relationships were strong enough to survive whatever moral disagreements she and Kara might have about this.  And if the cost of protecting Sam’s identity and keeping Ruby out of harm’s way was Lena’s relationship with Kara, that was a cost Lena would pay.  Even though she knew it would destroy her.

_I love them.  This is no choice at all.  I’ll do what I must._

Lena set about putting together the rest of her plan, and what she would tell her heroes.  Then she called Sam.

~~~~

Flying at these speeds was terrifying, even though she trusted Kara with her life.  Lena had been instructed very authoritatively not to try to look down, so she kept her eyes on the sky and on the readout in her helmet.  She was wearing one of the armoured flight suits Winn had created to allow DEO agents (almost always Alex) to accompany Supergirl or Power Girl on a longer distance flight.  It was built to withstand speeds that would otherwise be incredibly uncomfortable and dangerous for humans.  This particular suit was made for Alex specifically, and it hugged Lena’s curves a little too tightly.  But it would keep her safe.  It could even withstand some amount of bullet fire should things come to that.  There was a small, high-tech handgun holstered on each hip, locked into place fluidly in the suit’s flight mode.  In all likelihood, this was the closest Lena would ever get to being a DEO agent.  Based on the short amount of time it had taken to get from National City to the Cascade Mountains of Washington, she calculated that they were moving somewhere just below 2000 miles per hour, which she knew was a piece of cake for Kara.  The hardest part was actually not the cruising speed, so to speak, but the acceleration.  The human body can’t handle more than three Gs of acceleration, and Kara had been careful to accelerate steadily for over a minute before they reached this speed.  The scientist in Lena couldn’t resist taking a couple of minutes to think about what a marvel her girlfriends were.  To wonder at the amount of care they had to take to protect her fragile form.

Kara and Sam had gone along with her plan, though Kara had strongly resisted Lena’s insistence that they keep the DEO out of this.  Lena wondered if Kara’s suspicions about what Lena might do played any part in that.  Her girlfriend was perceptive, and she had been sending signals the past few days that she knew exactly what Lena was in the mindset to do to Lillian.  She had no doubt that Kara had every intention of stopping her from killing Lillian if she could, but she wondered if Kara also considered the possibility that she couldn’t stop Lena.  That the fewer witnesses they brought along the better.  Maybe if Alex wasn’t on her honeymoon, Kara would’ve insisted on at least bringing her.  But as it was, Kara and Sam agreed that they were more likely to maintain the element of surprise if it was just the three of them.

She was pleasantly surprised that neither of them tried to talk her out of going.  Under the mission parameters as Lena described them, there was no need for her presence.  She could’ve simply given Supergirl and Power Girl the coordinates and left it to them to capture Lillian.  But they knew better.  Knew that this was personal for all three of them, and that Lena **_needed_** this final confrontation.  There was never once any hint of an argument from either that Lena didn’t need to be a part of this.  She loved them both so much for that.

Sam was the faster flyer of the two, so Kara had carried Lena while Sam flew ahead to scout the perimeter and scan the potential defenses Cadmus had installed.  Her readout told her they were approaching the coordinates she had preprogrammed into their flight plan.  Kara began to decelerate as Sam’s voice crackled to life in their comms.

“Babes, we’re going in a little blind on this.  I can only see three armed guards in this place, but that’s because there’s a massive underground level that is completely encased in lead.  Lillian has to be down there, but there’s no telling how many people are with her and what else is down there.  I thought about superspeeding in and out to take a look, but I’m worried she’ll have sensors or alarms.”  _Go figure, even in a place Lillian assumes we won’t find her, she’s still overly prepared._

“We’ll have to risk it, but wait until we get there,” Lena responded.  “We’re coming in hot.”  Kara landed softly a few miles away, then ran them the rest of the way to where Sam was waiting for them just on the edge of the tree line.  Sam’s face was indecipherable under her cowl, but Kara’s worry was written all over her features.  Lena placed a hand on her face.

“Hey.  Kara.  We’ve got this.  We’re in this together.”  Kara swallowed hard but nodded.  Her eyes, icy blue with concern, focused on Lena’s. 

“Lena, I know that we have to do this.  Lillian has it coming.  But please.” She wrapped her hand around Lena’s, still resting on her cheek.  “Please.  Don’t do anything you are going to regret.  We’ll do what we have to, but … just remember that you’re not her.  You’re not Lex.  You’re Lena.  You’re **_my_** Lena.  Don’t forget that.”

Kara’s belief in her was like a shot of pure warmth into her system, but it didn’t change anything.  Lena swallowed, keeping her focus on what had to be done, and she smiled and nodded.  Then she kissed Kara, pouring all the love and assurance she could muster into it. Keeping her true intentions buried deep down.  She hated herself.

“Okay.  Plan.”  Sam and Kara focused on her.  “Sam, you sweep the perimeter of the basement level, as fast as you can.  Avoid detection at all cost.  If you’re not back here, in thirty seconds, Kara and I are coming in after you.”  Sam nodded.  “Depending on what Sam finds, we’ll divvy up any guards between you two, and you’ll incapacitate them, then the three of us will confront my mother together.” 

“Okay,” Sam confirmed.  “I’ll be back.”  She wasn’t kidding.  Lena barely registered that she was gone.  “Okay, we’ve got your standard evil scientist lair down there.  Like the L-Corp basement lab, but evil and much less pretty.”  Lena grinned at Sam.  Leave it to her to keep things light.  “There’s another ten armed dudes downstairs, along with a few tech people.  Good news: we’re not looking at any major weapons.  We should be able to take Lillian without much trouble.”  Kara seemed visibly relieved.  Lena played along, but she knew better than to underestimate Lillian.

 _At least she doesn’t have Kryptonite._ “Okay, Sam, you take out the guards upstairs, then meet us downstairs and clean up whatever Kara leaves for you.  We’ll take Lillian in together.”  She looked back and forth between her lovers.  “This is it.  I’m nervous as fuck.  I don’t have to tell either of you this, but be **_careful._**   Lillian is a monster.  A brilliant one.  Don’t underestimate her.  I know this seems like a simple mission, but nothing is ever simple with her.  I can’t lose either of you.  I know you’re practically goddesses, but please.  Be on your guard  No matter what.  Promise?”

They all took each other’s hands.  And squeezed.  “I love you,” they all said in unison.  And then she was in Kara’s arms on the way to the lead-lined basement lab of the old Hamilton lake house.  Lena barely had time to take in her surroundings before Supergirl and Power Girl were back at her sides.  The bunker was nearly two stories tall ( _deep?_ ), and there was various tech, storage, and furniture scattered about.  But none of that was important.  Lena’s focus was firmly on the now isolated figure standing across the room.

She resists the urge to draw her gun and blow this woman away without a word.  She isn’t sure she could get the shot off at this point—Kara would almost certainly stop her.  Instead, she offers a dark greeting.  “Hello, Mother.”

“Lena, how good of you to show up.”  Lillian’s face was hidden in shadow, and Lena definitely didn’t care for the way she phrased that.  “And you brought your pet aliens, how wonderful.”

“Fuck you.  Supergirl and Power Girl are more human than you’ll ever be, you monster.” 

Lillian’s face came into focus just long enough for her to glower and retort, “Well, we’ll certainly see about that shortly, I can promise you that.”  Then the lights went out.

 _Fuck._   Supergirl and Power Girl took protective positions with their backs to her.  _They can probably see just fine._ “What’s going on?  Where did she go?”

“She retreated around the corner.  There’s a lot of lead,” Power Girl growled.

“Don’t worry; she isn’t going to touch you,” Supergirl reassured her.

“I wouldn’t be too worried about my daughter right now, Kara,” _Fuck fuck fuck.  I should’ve just shot her._ Lena’s hand was on the gun on her right hip.  Her entire body felt tense.  Her heart was pounding.  Then a sickly green light began to filter into the room.

Lena’s entire body went numb.  _No. No no no no no. **How?**_   “Kara get out of here while you can,” Lena ordered, her voice thick with emotion.  She registered movement from across the room and then she felt the blast of wind as Power Girl moved at superspeed in front of her body.  She screamed in pain, and the overhead lights crackled back to life. 

The situation had gone from under control to a complete nightmare almost instantly.  Power Girl was down on her knees, a large dart sticking out of her just below the collarbone.  Lena and Kara both moved immediately to check on her.  The dart had been full of liquid kryptonite—based on the size of the dart, Lena had no doubt that the dose would’ve been lethal for Kara.  Already, there was a green glow to Sam’s normally brown eyes.  The kryptonite was already spreading through her system.  Her body tightened as her system fought the poison.  For the moment, neither Lena nor Kara could focus on anything else around them.  They needed Sam to be okay.

“Kara watch out!”  Sam cried out, and then Kara was being thrown across the room.  Power Girl was on her feet, but she was clearly affected by the kryptonite.  She still moved plenty fast enough to throw a hell of a punch at the glowing green robot that had Kara pinned to the wall. 

“Power Girl, are you okay?”  Lena tried to keep the emotion out of her voice.

“I’d say I’m at about half strength, but I’m also super fucking pissed off now.  Find your bitch of a mom.  We’ve got this.”  Lena said a silent prayer of thanks to no one that Sam had been quick enough to jump in front of that dart.  She had no doubt it had been intended for Kara; that Lillian had just tried to kill Supergirl.  Lena was furious.  Any doubts she had about what she came here to do were gone.

She stood, her right gun out with the safety off, scanning the room for Lillian.  Lena’s heart was pounding.  This woman raised her to be ashamed of herself.  Psychologically tortured her.  Verbally abused her.  Shamed her.  _Where did she go?!_ Lena prowled the perimeter of the room, sure that her mother wouldn’t have escaped without a single monologue.  She also knew that a single kryptonite dart couldn’t be the only weapon she was hiding.  Lillian was out to kill her loves, and Lena was done sparing her.

 _How did she get kryptonite?_ The DEO must have fucked up.  That was the only explanation.  Lena was nearly certain she was the only person remaining on the planet who had the substance (or the ability to recreate it in a stable form)—unless Superman was hiding some somewhere.  And she had only opened her stores to the DEO for the battles with Reign.  Cadmus must’ve had a mole in the DEO.  And now Sam was paying the price.  Kara had nearly paid with her life.

Lena’s mind continued to race as she explored the confines of the room, gun first.  She glanced over and now there was a robot each for Supergirl and Power Girl to contend with.  They had the same kryptonite core in their chests that Metallo had utilized, but these were definitely not human.  _Finally admitted that our species isn’t the pinnacle of evolution, did you Mother?_   A small explosion occurred behind her, briefly startling her.  Lena couldn’t let herself be distracted.  Her girls had each other’s backs.  She was focused.  She had to stay focused.  She had to get Lillian.

Her eyes registered movement in her periphery, and her gun followed the rapidly moving object.  Another robot?  Lena’s stomach flip flopped as she realized what— ** _who_** —was floating between her and the battle going on across the room.  She could feel the bile in her throat as panic threatened to grip her chest.  Lillian had recreated Lex’s warsuit. 

Lex had nearly killed Superman in that suit.  Fully equipped with cutting edge (for its time anyway) technology, weapons capabilities, and artificial intelligence, the suit had allowed Lex to nearly match Superman’s speed and reflexes, while constantly weakening him with strategically placed kryptonite.  This suit was Lena’s worst nightmare.  One she had hoped she had eradicated from the face of the Earth.  And now her mother was wearing it.

The armour plating of the suit appeared to create a more feminine silhouette, but otherwise, it appeared to be a perfect replica.  _Let’s test that out._   Lena immediately fired off several rounds at Lillian’s chest, elbow joints, knee joints, and the neck of the suit, just under the helmet.  Other than those fired at the chest, each round lodged into the suit.  She even managed to cause a malfunction in the neck plating, causing the helmet  to fully retract.  _It isn’t nth metal._   This suit was a pale imitation of Lex’s.  Lillian couldn’t find nth metal, meaning that whatever the suit was made of, it wasn’t Super-proof.  Lillian still hadn’t been able to find engineers with half the skill and talent of her children.

And now her head was exposed.  Lena aimed a kill shot right between Lillian’s eyes.  An electric thrill shot through her spine.  “Any last words, Mother?”  Lillian glared at her, then she was hit from behind.  The war suit was propelled into the wall.  Kara’s body showed the tell tale signs of exposure to the kryptonite in the room, her veins standing out with a pale green glow in places.  But she was still flying just fine, and clearly still had enough energy to quip, “Suit’s a bit much, don’t you think?”

Lillian worked to right herself amidst the rubble, growling, “Says the girl in the cape.”  _No.  Lillian is mine.  I can’t let her hurt Kara._   Then Kara looked at her with that impossibly inspirational Supergirl look.  She landed next to Lena, placing a hand on each shoulder.

“Lena.  You don’t have to go this alone.  She isn’t your burden to bear.  There is another way.”  Her sapphire eyes sparkled with concern.  “We’re in this together.  We’re a team, in all things.  Please.  Let’s take care of her, together.”  Lena swallowed, hard.  Her heart was still pounding with terror.  But she had to trust Kara. 

“The suit is vulnerable, if you can get past the shields.  I know you’re in pain, love, but I’ll cover you, see if I can’t get in a lucky shot here and there.  You’ve got this.”  They glanced back, and Power Girl was still trading blows with the Metallo bot.  Kara nodded at her, body language full of pride.  Lena couldn’t silence the voices in her head, but for now, she would do this Kara’s way.  The turned to face the now upright Lillian.

“You really are a lost cause, Lena.”  She stepped forward threateningly.  There was a marked difference in Lillian’s demeanor.  Gone was her icy aplomb, replaced by a barely contained rage.   Her uptight, regal posture warped into an aggressive stance as she took another menacing step towards them.  Where Lillian of old would glower, the Lillian in front of her seethed.  What changed?

“I have to know: why out Kara?  What could you possibly gain from that?”

Lillian’s eyes narrowed.  “I gave up.  This alien whore betrayed you.  And you still chose her over your family.  Your species.  You have all this talent, Lena.  I see it now.  You were the best of us, not Lex.  But you’ve thrown it all away.  You’re worse than her, in your own way.  You’re not just the enemy, Lena.  You’re a traitor.”  Lillian leapt into the air and blasted Kara with a kryptonite beam, sending her flying backwards.  Lena bristled.  “It isn’t enough to kill you or your pet.  You’ve all got to suffer.  And some things are so much worse than death.”

Even once Lena had reached adulthood, and mostly freed herself of Lillian’s day-to-day torments, the woman had found new and increasingly more horrifying ways to maintain her dominance over Lena.  She kept her in the closet until she was nearly thirty.  She chose the child who proved himself to be an unstable monster over the one who proved herself capable of overcoming all odds to achieve career success.  She used her to try to commit genocide.  She kidnapped her.  Gaslit her.  And she left her to die.

And if you had asked Lillian, she would tell you she did all that for Lena’s own good.  To bring her into the light.  To free her from her delusions.  To push her, no matter what it took, to become a Luthor.  Not a Luthor like Lionel, but a Luthor like Lex.  A **_real_** Luthor. 

Now, having failed to do that—having finally accepted that she would **_never_** do that—Lillian’s sole goal had apparently become nothing more than spite.  Sheer, unadulterated destructive lashing out at the daughter she couldn’t control.  And the women Lena loved. 

_Fuck her._

Lena fired off another few rounds at the weak points in the armour, distracting Lillian’s attention away from Kara.  _If Mother wants to wage psychological war, I’m about to blow her out of the water._ “That’s the difference between you and me, Lillian.  You and Lex always were too emotional for your own good.  Despite everything you’ve put me through, I’m more than happy to end you here and now.”  Lena took aim, but Lillian dodged at the last moment, and the bullet just missed her head. 

Lillian’s eyes practically glowed with rage.  _She can’t stomach the idea that I might have the insolence to actually kill her myself._   She dove towards Lena, powering up a blast to fire off, only to be propelled back into the wall by Kara’s heat vision.  The war suit’s shields absorbed the energy, but the force of it still knocked Lillian off course, saving Lena.  Kara tried, and failed, to leap back into the air.   _Kara._   Lena’s chest tightened.  Her hero’s strength was waning.  The kryptonite was taking its toll. 

_I have to end this. Now._

Lillian was up again, and she and Kara were facing off.  With Lena caught in the middle.  _How fitting._   But Lena had chosen her side long ago.  There was a dangerous glint in Lillian’s eyes as raised a fist towards Kara, then flung her arm down forcefully, unsheathing a thin blade from the arm of the suit, made of pure kryptonite.  She turned her head slightly, locking eyes with Lena. 

“As usual, my dear, you’ve underestimated me.  You lot **_deserve_** to suffer.  But I am perfectly capable of evaluating my situation every bit as coldly as you can. And I will settle for death, if I must.”  Then she rocketed forward towards Kara, blade first.

“ ** _NO!_** ”  Lena screamed.  The entire scene shifted, and Lena felt as though she was watching everything unfold in slow motion.  But she had no control over any of it.  Her arms moved of their own accord, tracking Lillian on her fatal course towards Kara.  She fired off two shots, neither hitting its mark in Lillian’s skull.  Lillian and Kara traded a couple of blows, and Kara was barely able to stand, suffering deep cuts on both arms but avoiding getting stabbed.  The entire time, Lena tried to line up her shot, but they were moving too much.

Then Lillian grabbed Kara by the cape and slung her down to the ground.  Now, as Lillian raised her arm to drive the blade down in a killing blow, was Lena’s chance.  She aimed, confident that her shot would find purchase in Lillian’s brain this time.  She could feel the kill in her entire body.  But her eyes caught Kara’s.  Her baby blues were firmly fixed on Lena.  It felt as though Kara saw into her soul.  In that moment, Lena made a decision.  Her arm tracked down a tick, and just before the kryptonite blade could take the life of Lena’s love, she blew it away.

Thwarted, at least momentarily, Lillian released a savage cry of fury.  But it was nothing compared to the sounds of agony coming from Kara.  Lena’s bullet saved Kara’s life, but the fractured blade embedded small shards of kryptonite in Kara’s torso, neck, and arms.  The biggest sliver plunged deep into Kara’s right forearm, just below her elbow, nearly severing her forearm entirely.  Kara’s eyes shown with the sickly green colour, and her body writhed and tightened in overwhelming pain.  Her cries were shrill and tight, cutting through Lena’s body as sharply as any blade.  She had never seen Kara bleed like this. 

 _I did this to her.  Will she heal?  Will she scar?  Will she **survive** this?_   Lena couldn’t breathe.  She felt sick.  She should’ve taken the shot.  Her half measure had saved Kara’s life only to plunge into her own physical hell.  And Lillian wasn’t done with her.  She moved to punch Kara in the face, beating her savagely.  Kara was powerless to defend herself, and even as Lena began running towards them, she felt again as if she was moving in slow motion.  _I can’t save her.  I can’t get there quickly enough.  I shouldn’t have hesitated._

 Out of nowhere, the lifeless metallic form of a now defeated Metallo hits Lillian with enough force to drive Lillian off of Kara, her suit scraping a path along the concrete floor before she crashed into the far wall in a small ball of flame.  Sam was at Kara’s side in an instant, and Lena was there seconds later.  Sam removed the shards of kryptonite at superspeed, tossing them far, far away from Kara’s body, which was still writhing in pain.  Except for her right arm, which remained pinned by the kryptonite shard.  It appeared worryingly still.  Lifeless.

“Lee, I don’t know if I should pull this one out.  What if she bleeds out?  Is that even possible?”  Lena didn’t know enough about Kara’s physiology to be able to say for sure.  But she had to make another life or death decision there in that moment. 

“Sam, I’m going to pull the shard.  I’ll set her arm, and then I’ll need you to cauterize the wound.”  Lena was hyperventilating.  Terrified.  “Kara, sweetie, you’re going to be okay.  We’re going to get you out of this.”  Kara’s breathing was ragged, and while her cries had dulled to tears and growls, she was still in incredibly obvious pain.  Lena placed a hand on Kara’s arm, with the other on the shard.  “Okay, go!”

She pulled it out, and the blood began to gush immediately.  She held Kara’s forearm firmly to her elbow, and then found herself screaming as Sam used her heat vision to seal the wound.  Lena’s own hands were burned slightly, like a bad sunburn, at the sheer proximity, but there was nothing else they could’ve done.  Kara’s suit was burned away, and there was a hot red scar left behind.  She had passed out from the pain at this point, but her body was no long writhing.  Her veins had lost the sickly green colour, and despite the cuts and stained tears down her cheeks, she looked almost peaceful now.

 _I did this._   Lena tried to live up to Kara’s moral worldview, and as a result, she had plunged her girlfriend into a horrifying gauntlet of pain.  She knew in that moment, without any shadow of a doubt, that she had made the wrong choice.  She should have killed Lillian.  Ended it all right then and there.  She’d had no fewer than three opportunities since they entered this bunker to kill Lillian, and each time she had hesitated.  Resisted her instinct, her gut screaming at her to end it.  _And look what I have wrought._   Even though she had done what she thought Kara would’ve wanted, she felt almost as if she had chosen Lillian over her love.  Kara’s pain was a direct result of Lena’s willingness to let the bitch live.  She could only hope that the yellow sun could heal Kara’s arm.

Sam placed a hand on Kara’s cheek.  “You’re going to be okay, Blondie.  We’ve got her now.  We’ll be free of this place soon.”  Lena looked up at Power Girl and gasped.  Lena’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest in a blind panic.  _No no no no no._   Power Girl defeated the overpowered Metallo robot, but at great cost.  The android had, at some point in the battle, torn apart her cowl.  It lay in tattered white shreds around her neck, and her wig was completely gone.  Lena was looking not at Power Girl at all, but at her oldest friend Samantha Arias.  Lena felt as though her chest might collapse on itself from the sheer force of her anxiety.

“Power Girl, get out of here **_now_**!” Lena commanded Sam with all the authority and urgency she could muster.  Her shout brought Kara back to consciousness, though she was still weak.  Her breathing continued to be strained, but she gasped at Sam’s exposed face. Sam fixed Lena with a look of sheer confusion, while Kara immediately understood.

“ ** _Go_** ,” Supergirl urged her partner.  But it was too late.

Lillian’s warsuit was in tatters, but if anything it made her presence all the more ominous as she cast a shadow over the threesome.  “Oh, this is rich,” Lillian cackles.  “Reign, the single greatest alien menace we’ve ever faced, was the pathetic single **_mom_** you screwed around with, all along?”  She spit the word out so violently, making the veiled threat against Ruby blatantly obvious.  Sam and Lena stood up as one, each moving into a defensive position over Kara, shielding her from Lillian.  “You lot are disgusting.  You deserve each other.  Your happiness ends here.” 

Her devious grin was haunting.  As Lillian blew a hole in the roof and then activated the couple of remaining functional rockets on her suit, Lena realized that she meant to escape again.  That her plan to make them suffer a fate worse than death was again within Lillian’s reach.  Lena berated herself mentally.  _I should’ve killed her.  I had my chance.  No. **NO** , this cannot happen._ 

The stakes flashed before her eyes one last time.  Sam vilified in the press.  Ruby taken by society from her loving mother.  Violence.  Bigotry.  An inescapable cycle of hatred, chaos, and fear.  The end of any potential for a happy ending.  For any of them.

Simultaneously, her rage built as she again faced all the memories of her myriad personal tortures at Lillian’s hands over the years.  Half a lifetime of abuse, oppression, distrust, manipulation, and dismissiveness.  _Enough._  

Lena pulled the gun from her left holster, an alien energy weapon.  And she aimed it for Lillian’s smug face.  She got off three shots.  Two were eaten by the remaining shields of the war suit, one cut a deep gash over Lillian’s right brow, drawing a furious scream of pain and agony.  But Lena failed to kill her.  Again.

“Sam,” came the strangled cry from Lena’s throat.  “You can’t let her get away.  She knows who you are.  She knows about **_Ruby_**!  Please, Sam.  Please.  You have to end this.  **_Now_**.”  Lena’s desperate eyes sought understanding in Sam’s.  Her soft brown irises seemed tortured more by the abstract terror of possible futures than by the green shards of poison Lena could physically see shining through.  To her credit, Sam didn’t hesitate.  She knew what was at stake, and she felt it just as heavily as Lena.  Probably more so.  Green eyes met brown, and they were unified in both motivations and goals.

Sam’s eyes glowed red, then she ended the conflict once and for all.  The red hot beams cut through Lillian’s chest, piercing the weakened shields of the war suit without resistance.  In one second, Lillian was gloating as she escaped to further ruin the lives of her rebel daughter and her undesirable partners.  The next, she was a lifeless corpse, falling back to the concrete floor.  The heavy thud with which she hit the floor sounded almost pathetic.

Lena slumped forward, falling to her knees.  It was finally over.  She was free.  Her family was safe.  _So why don’t I feel good about any of this?_


	54. Time for a Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two weeks have passed. Kara is coming to terms with her newfound fame, and she and Sam are making a fun change. All three of our ladies are dealing with the fallout of Lena's decision.

** Chapter 54 **

“I mean, I know I **_shouldn’t_** be surprised, but gosh, Sam, I just … I guess I hadn’t really given much thought to it until Cat suggested it.”  She loved Kara most in these moments.  This beautiful, powerful angel befuddled to find that people were inspired by her.  Captivated by her.  Enamoured with her.  She was brave and kind and fiercely protective of literally every single person.  Yet here she was, reduced to a stuttering mess because she couldn’t believe that people were fascinated to know more about her.  That people, especially alien refugees and queer folks, were in awe of her and how she had handled being thrust into the spotlight like this.  Sam could only smile, pulling Kara’s hand up to her lips and kissing her knuckles.

It had been two and half weeks since Kara came out, and she had already done interviews with Autostraddle, GLAAD, and Out.  Autostraddle had been the first because they were Kara’s favourite website, and she very adorably made sure they knew that fact.  She had another interview in the works with Cat for CatCo Magazine, with all three of them, now that the rumours were out there about the Luthor and the Super’s so-called dalliance with a third woman in their relationship.

A dark cloud passed over Sam’s face but was banished just as quickly.  Now wasn’t the time to have another conversation about Lena that would go nowhere.  The items in her bag suddenly felt the tiniest bit heavier. 

It was a big day, a bright, sunny day in National City, and she and Kara were walking arm-in-arm to go see their good friend Kaziah.  Who would be cutting and styling their hair today.  After everything, and without the need to try and hide her identity by styling her long curls up as Kara and down as Supergirl, the Girl of Steel had decided to make a drastic change.  Fortunately for them, hair styling was one of the many, many skills in Ziah’s wheelhouse, and Sam had been quick to jump on the makeover train with Kara.  She did wear a wig in costume, after all.

The two Kryptonians (Sam had finally decided to adopt the label for herself, as it was easier than trying to explain the much more complicated scientific truth of her biology) were dressed simply.  Kara was wearing bright red tights, with neon blue tennis shoes that nearly matched her flowy blue racerback tank, which exposed her collarbones and shoulders in a way that Sam found highly distracting.  Kara refused to admit that she was intentionally wearing more red and blue combinations lately, which only made the obviously calculated choice that much more precious.  For her part, Sam was wearing simple black yoga pants, ballet flats, and a loose v-neck with “Ask Me About My Feminist Agenda” displayed in a bold font down the front.  Both of them had their hair tied back in ponytails and were wearing very little makeup.  They could easily have been going to a yoga class rather than “the hair salon,” as Kara kept jokingly referring to Kaziah’s apartment.

While it would’ve been simpler to fly, Kara had insisted that they walk.  She was in a mood today and wanted to be among the people.  “I want to just go for a nice walk with my girlfriend to the salon, just like anyone else.  If it leads to another tabloid story about Supergirl being sighted with the **_mysterious brunette_** , then so be it,” Kara had insisted, winking a bright blue eye at her as she enunciated.  The tabloids hadn’t quite managed to identify Sam yet, thanks to a coordinated (and probably highly illegal) effort by Winn and Lena to hack each and every local and national media outlet who might be interested in such things.  But it was only a matter of time, which is why the interview with Cat was so important.

 _Too bad I can’t get either of them to have a real conversation about what happened._  

Sam was brought back into the moment by an excited follow-up from Kara.  “Oh oh oh!  I forgot to tell you!”  Kara pulled them to a stop, taking both of Sam’s hands in her own as she faced her.  Kara’s eyes sparkled with glee.  “National City Pride asked me to lead the Pride parade this year!”  Sam’s face broke into an immediate grin.  Whether it was the yellow sun beaming down on her, the pure joy written across her features, or the oh so perfect cut of that tank top, Kara looked breathtakingly gorgeous in that moment.  Still, Sam wouldn’t be Sam if she didn’t take the opportunity to give her gorgeous girlfriend some shit over this.

“Oh, and that just **_happened_** to slip your mind there, Blondie?” Sam snarked.  Kara immediately rolled her eyes, but Sam’s sarcasm did nothing to dampen her excitement.  Sam had to look up just slightly to keep her girlfriend’s gaze, a sure sign that Kara was hovering just slightly off the ground.  It was a new habit lately, as Kara no longer cared about hiding the natural way her body tended to express delight or enthusiasm.  “I’m Kara Zor-El Danvers, the mighty and famous Supergirl, and I just can’t keep track of all the amazing things going on in my life enough to tell my girlfriend that I’m **_leading_** the mother fucking **_Pride_** parade.  How **_silly_** of me.”  Sam was proud of how good her mocking Kara voice had gotten, and Kara’s eyes narrowed as the rest of her face began to form the tell-tale signs of her signature pout.

“Saaaaaaaaaaaam.  I only found out this morning!  And then you lured me into the shower, and then I was excited about our makeovers, and …”  She shrugged, and it was too much.  Sam put up her arms in capitulation.

“Fine, fine.  You’re forgiven.”  Moving so much slower than she would if they were in private, Sam placed her hands on Kara’s cheeks, gently nudging her back on the ground as she pulled her in for a brief but warm kiss.  “I’m proud of you, babe.”  Kara’s looked pleasantly surprised by this kiss, then grinned and took Sam’s hand as they started walking again.  Sam kept the frown off her face as she swallowed the question she wanted to ask.  _Should Lena and I join you in the parade?_   Instead, she suggested, “You should have Winn make you a fancy ass rainbow cape.”

She could feel Kara’s feet threatening to leave the ground again, as the blonde literally squealed, struggling to keep her voice down.  Sam couldn’t help but notice the onlookers, most of whom immediately recognized Kara, even with her glasses on.  _It’s the red and blue,_ Sam scoffed internally.  Fortunately, no one tried to interfere with their privacy.  Kara was obviously plenty aware of the attention she drew in public these days, and Sam was impressed with how well she was holding up to it.  The little grin she always flashed to little girls who looked at her with such awe as they passed her in the streets was especially endearing. 

They continued to stroll towards their destination, and Kara leaned in, talking low and soft against Sam’s jaw.  “You’re brilliant, you know that?” sent a thrill down Sam’s spine.  Then Kara hummed thoughtfully.  “Maybe the bisexual pride flag would be a more appropriate cape though?”  Sam glanced over at her girlfriend, who looked more than a little bashful as she weighed her options.  “I mean, I know I’m very publicly in a relationship with a woman, and somewhat less publicly in a relationship with another woman, but I’m still pansexual.  Mostly.  Plus, bisexual erasure, you know?”

Sam raised an eyebrow, chuckling happily.  “I don’t know if the pink, purple, and blue would go as well with your normal colour scheme as the rainbow flag would, plus it’s more inclusive and symbolic of pride generally.  But you do you, baby girl.  You should be super proud of your super bi self.”  She reached out and opened the door for Kara, who kissed her cheek on the way into Kaziah’s building.

Sam grinned, then surveyed the interior of the building.  The coast was clear.  “Race you up the stairs, Supergirl,” she whispered in Kara’s ear, provocatively.  And then she was off.

~~~~

“Welcome to my home, Kara Zor-El Danvers.”  Ziah hugged Kara warmly as they entered the spartan apartment.  It was her first time here, and it was sort of exactly how she imagined it would look.  Everything was stark, clean surfaces and crisp lines, with a lot of open, soft shades of blues and white.  It was gorgeous in its own way, and Kara could feel Kaziah’s presence throughout.

“Ah!  I’m so happy to be here!”  Kara was genuinely thrilled, and she didn’t bother trying to pretend otherwise.  The hints of a small smile danced at the edges of Ziah’s lips as she welcomed her two friends into her home.  “I’m so excited, but also like stupid nervous about this.”  She glanced back at Sam, who was watching her with a wry grin.  She had been so supportive of Kara’s decision to chop all her hair off and jumped at the chance to join her on this journey, but it still felt just a little bit scary.  Kara had never worn her hair short before.

A stab of guilt shot through her heart with a brief thought about who wasn’t standing there beside Sam.  Kara shoved that deep down inside, summoning her nervous enthusiasm back to the forefront.  Today was about fun and new beginnings.  Sam rubbed a hand along the small of Kara’s back, as if sensing the momentary lapse in Kara’s sunny disposition.

“I am quite honoured that the heroes of National City thought of me for all their hair styling needs.”  Ziah’s voice was as seemingly robotic as ever, but Kara did a double take anyway.  It sure sounded like she **_could_** have been snarking.  But the moment passed as they followed her into the living room of the spacious apartment.  She had already set up a nice comfy office chair for the occasion, along with a full-length mirror set up against the wall.  “Did you bring everything?” she asked Sam, while she gestured to Kara to have a seat.

“I did indeed,” Sam assured as she began pulling out the portable red sun lamp out of her bag.  “Do you have like a standing lamp I can clamp it to or?”  She glanced around.  “I mean I can hold it over Kara’s head the entire time, but that would be a pain in the ass, you know?” 

As Kaziah assured her that she had a tall enough shelf for them to attach the lamp to, Kara gasped, interrupting them as they set up the lamp that would temporarily make Kara’s hair vulnerable.  It was already on when Sam knelt at superspeed, taking Kara’s hands in her own as they met eyes.  “Babe, what is it?”

“I didn’t even think about it—I was too focused on myself,” Kara scolded herself.  “The red sun lamp doesn’t do anything to you.  How are we going to cut **_your_** hair?”  Sam exhaled before chuckling.

“Way to freak me out, dum dum.”  Kara’s nose crinkled.  Sam seemed as excited about her own makeover as she was supportive about Kara’s—of course Kara would be worried about their complete lack of any tools capable of actually cutting Sam’s indestructible locks.  Sam pushed herself up off Kara’s knees and reached into her bag.  “We’ve got it covered.”

“Yes,” Kaziah confirmed.  “Ms. Luthor and I were able to forge some spare nth metal into a workable set of sheers.  They will be perfectly sufficient for me to cut Samantha’s hair in the style she has described to me.”  Kaziah hummed.  “I would not recommend them for your hair under the red sun lamp however, even given how supremely deft my hands are.”  Sam snorted at this, and Kara shot her a scandalized look as her overactive imagination took her brain straight into hazy moving pictures of Kaziah and Sam’s past exploits.  Still, it was only a momentary distraction from the implications of what Kaziah had said.

Lena had obtained some of the rarest and most valuable substance on the planet and shaped it into a pair of scissors just so Sam could get a haircut.  Kara’s whole body flooded with love and affection for this beautiful, complicated woman.  _Rao, I love her so much.  She is just so … **good**._   Tears threatened to form under her eyelids.  Everything in her was at war, conflicted about Lena.  She had no idea how to reconcile the two sides of her.  _How can a person be capable of this, but also **that**?  _ An image of Lillian’s lifeless corpse flashed through her mind unbidden.

Sam’s knowing eyes searched hers, and Kara swallowed hard, pushing down all those feelings she wasn’t ready to deal with.  Because she had no idea how to deal with them right now.  Life was busy enough at the moment that ignoring them was easy enough, even with Sam giving her looks like that.  Like she could see right through Kara and just wanted so desperately to bring that conflict out and face it head on.

As if sensing the discomfort growing between the Kryptonians, Kaziah placed a hand gently into Kara’s hair.  “So, what would you like to do with this, Ms. Danvers?”  Kara felt her cheeks immediately warm as her nerves blossomed again. 

“I told you, **_it’s Kara_**.  And I … umm, well I was thinking that… do you think it would look good if …”  Kara’s voice drifted off.  She gazed at Sam pleadingly for help, feeling so unsure of herself.  Her girlfriend simply pursed her lips and shot her an eyebrow, as if to say ‘you **_know_** what you want, don’t overthink it.’  So she didn’t.  Kara whipped out her phone as she began to ramble again.  “I know this isn’t **_real_** and that real hair might not actually work like this but she’s just so darn cool and inspirational and I want to project this sort of cool, edgy confidence and I was hoping you could find a way to make me look like this…”  Ziah took the phone, analyzing the image displayed there.

It was the cover art of Captain Marvel #1, with the eponymous hero posed in a wide legged stance, arms crossed in front of her with a fist meeting a hand, smirking in front of an epic background filled with the surface of a nearby planet and a fleet of Avengers space fighters.  Her hair was radically short and styled in a windswept way that almost looked spikey because of the art design.  Kara had never been very big into comic books until Winn introduced her to Carol Danvers.  Between the last name, the colour scheme, and the power set, Kara had been instantly drawn to her.  She had always wished she was brave enough to wear her hair that short—Rao knew it would make flying easier.  And Lena had always sensed her unspoken desire; Kara was sure that was why the brunette had been subtly hinting about Kara cutting her hair off for a while now.

And her she was, brave enough to finally do it.  But not brave enough to ask Lena to be by her side.  That would require her to deal with her feelings, after all.

“I can work with this,” Kaziah assured her.  “Are you ready?”  Kara looked back at her through the mirror and nodded enthusiastically.  She’d been under the red sun lamp for several minutes now, and it was such a weird feeling.  Her head felt **_human_** —slow and dulled and quiet—while most of the rest of her felt normal.  She let out a shaky breath as the first long golden lock fell into her lap with a loud _snip_.  Sam grinned brightly at her, flashing a thumbs up.  Ziah worked quickly but methodically.  It felt so weird, in that it didn’t really feel like anything.  Her head just slowly became less and less heavy.  Before long, Kaziah had switched to her electric clippers, shaving off most of what remained of the sides and back of her hair.  Kara refused to look in the mirror, but she could feel her anticipation building.

“Kara?”  There was a hand on hers, not Sam’s.  “I understand if you don’t want to open your eyes yet, but I just need to lead you over to the sink to wash your hair before I finish up.”  Kara grinned and nodded, allowing Ziah to lead her by the hand.  As she left the warmth of the lamp, her senses slowly returned to her.  Ziah’s hands were soft, but strong and skilled, as she rinsed the stray hairs from Kara’s heads, and she quite enjoyed the sensation. 

“You have lovely hands,” Kara complimented, then winced at how sultry her tone might have accidentally sounded.  “I hope that’s not weird to say!”

Her hearing had returned well enough that Kaziah’s  response came in loud and clear through the towel she had over Kara’s head.  “Certainly not, Kara.  I’m pleased to know that I calculated the correct amount of pressure and movements to provide a pleasurable experience.  Certainly, pleasure is not my primary purpose at the moment, but—” she paused just slightly, and if Kara didn’t know better she would swear it was for comedic effect, “—who says we cannot have a little fun?”  Kara giggled as Ziah set the towel aside, briefly locking eyes with the Coluan before she shut them again and walked with her back to the chair and the heat of the red sun lamp.  Then her magic hands were back on Kara’s scalp, teasing with the remaining hair there as she went back in with her scissors.

A few more minutes passed, then Sam’s voice came from beside her.  “I can’t believe how amazing it looks, babe.”  A pause.  “I mean, obviously I **_can_** believe it, since I’m looking at it, and—” Ziah’s hands were tugging at Kara’s hair, styling it this way and that, “—besides, we all knew you’d look gorgeous no matter how you did your hair.”

Kara smirked.  “Now who’s rambling?”  She couldn’t feel Kaziah’s hands anymore, so she raised a quick eyebrow in question.  A habit she had picked up from … “Can I look?” she asked excitedly. 

She felt the sun lamp turn off, then some brushing around her shoulders, before she heard a firm, “Go for it,” from behind her.  Kara felt a little embarrassed at the shrill shriek that escaped her lips, but she couldn’t help it. 

“I look **_SO good_**!!”  Her head felt so light and airy, and while it wasn’t exactly like the image she had in mind, it was absolutely perfect.  Equal parts Ellen DeGeneres and Ruby Rose, and **_all_** Captain Marvel.  She turned to smile brightly at Sam and Kaziah and realized she was floating again.  In an instant, she was hugging Ziah.  “Thank you thank you thank you!” 

The Coluan returned her embrace warmly.  “It was my pleasure, Kara.  Sincerely.  I am glad you are happy with it.” 

Kara zipped over to Sam.  “You really like it?” 

Sam ran a hand over the shaved hair above her ear, sliding around to rest at the back of Kara’s head.  Warm brown eyes met nervous blue ones.  “I’d almost love it just for the expression it brought to your face just now, Blondie.  But I also, you know, like it like it.  You look **_so_** hot.”  She bit her lip, just enough to emphasize the point, and Kara wasn’t sure if it was intentional or not.  ‘

“Do you think she’ll like it?”  The words spilled out of her mouth before she had time to think about them, and her eyes went wide as she realized what she had just asked.  But Sam didn’t seem surprised.  If anything, her eyes were filled with that same knowing look, all warm and understanding.  She wrapped her other arm around Kara’s neck, linking her hands behind Kara’s head.

“I know she’ll love it, whenever you’re ready.”  Kara did tear up this time, but she quickly blinked the moisture away.  She didn’t look away from Sam though, holding her gaz e as she wrestled with her emotions yet again.  Kara leaned her forehead in against Sam’s, holding her for a moment longer.  _I don’t know how much longer I can keep avoiding this._

But it would be at least a bit longer.  Kara kissed her girlfriend warmly on the forehead, then grabbed her and pushed her gently towards the chair.  “Your turn!”

~~~~

They left Kaziah’s place less than an hour later.  Sam’s hair wasn’t as drastically short as Kara’s, but it was firmly off of her shoulders now.  Still nice and wavy, but mostly back down to her dark brown roots, with only a hint of her honey accents in her long bangs.  As great as she was sure she looked, Sam had eyes only for Kara.

She was curious if people would be able to recognize their hero now.  She had a bet with Lena that they would make it all the way back to the DEO without the looks that Kara always got out in public these days.  Sam’s heart hurt that Kara hadn’t invited Lena along for this.  But Kara hadn’t exactly been on speaking terms with Lena since the incident with Lillian.

Kara had been the one to call J’onn, once Sam had gotten her away from the kryptonite and into the sun.  Her arm had begun to heal from that grisly injury, almost immediately, but it took several hours—and a good amount of pain—for it to heal fully.  While Kara explained the situation to J’onn, Sam had returned to the basement to check on Lena. 

She hadn’t moved from where she had been seated on the concrete floor, the stains from Kara’s blood beginning to dry in front of her.  Lena’s cold green eyes were locked on the still form that had once been her mother.  Sam didn’t know if she’d ever be able to forget how Lena had looked at that moment.  She was so still, hunched over and fragile in a way that Lena Luthor never was.  She was like a shell of herself.

Sam had knelt in front of her, trying to catch her gaze, but Lena’s eyes refused to leave her mother.  “Lena.  Babe, come on.  You don’t have to stay here.  The DEO is on their way.”  Lena didn’t respond, didn’t even seem to register her presence.  So, Sam sat there with her, hands resting on Lena’s in her lap. 

After several minutes, Lena whispered, “I thought I would feel … I don’t know.  **_Something._** ”

“Oh, Lee.”  Sam cupped her hand around Lena’s jaw, and Lena leaned into it, finally seeming to realize her girlfriend was there with her.  It was haunting how empty Lena’s eyes looked as she met Sam’s.  Then she crumpled into Sam’s arms.  The DEO arrived nearly two hours later—J’onn had flown to the DEO base in Seattle and led a team from there.  Once Lena had stopped crying, Sam had set about destroying the remaining kryptonite in the compound.  Lena didn’t move, and apparently neither did Kara.

Sam found her seated at the edge of the lake, and it was clear that she had been crying.  She hadn’t been interested in talking either.  At the time, Sam had assumed she was avoiding the Cadmus base because of the kryptonite, but in hindsight, she was quite sure Kara had been avoiding Lena and Sam. 

J’onn had been furious.  Sam wouldn’t let him anywhere near Lena—she had been through enough.  But he made sure that Supergirl and Power Girl knew how he felt about an unauthorized mission that had resulted in the death of an enemy combatant.  A **_human_** enemy combatant. 

“Just promise me that Lena wasn’t the one who did this.”

“No,” Sam had responded, immediately.  “It was me.”

“That’s something at least.  I don’t think we could’ve protected her.  A civilian.  Killing her **_mother_**.  While accompanied by two superheroes, one of whom is famously her girlfriend.”  J’onn had growled the words at them.  She didn’t know if she’d ever seen him so angry. 

Ultimately, the DEO had covered the whole thing up.  A DEO consultant with insider knowledge on Cadmus had worked with Supergirl and Power Girl on a highly covert mission that was so time sensitive they couldn’t make anyone else aware of it.  They had been ambushed with kryptonite stolen from the DEO’s own stores, they had fought back, and had barely escaped with their lives.  In doing so, they had to use lethal force to bring Lillian Luthor down.

She and Kara had been on unofficial suspension since then, but it wasn’t like the DEO could stop either of them from saving lives, even if it wanted to.  But nothing had been the same between the three women since that day.  What Sam didn’t understand was why Kara had been so quick to forgive her but had been stilted and cold towards Lena for weeks now.

She’d slept by herself at the loft the first few nights, but she had been staying with Sam and Ruby ever since.  Even when Sam slept over at the penthouse with Lena, Kara stayed at the townhome with Ruby.  Sam felt as though she was the only one trying to heal this rift, despite being the only one who didn’t seem to understand what was going on.  She knew Kara had a thing about killing, but as far as Sam was concerned, they did the right thing.  And there was no question about it.  Lillian was a menace, and a direct threat to all three of them.  To Ruby.  To aliens everywhere.  She also knew that Lena felt the same way, and yet, she couldn’t convince her to talk to Kara.  Sam couldn’t make heads or tails of it.  Lena had rebounded admirably, and she wasn’t cold or closed off like after the Reign situation had resolved itself.  Lena seemed to believe that she deserved the cold shoulder.  She just … refused to push Kara. 

Try as she might, Sam couldn’t convince either of her loves to talk to the other.  She hated it.  She could see how much it hurt them both being separated from each other, but it was like there was this insurmountable chasm between them.

“Blondie?”  She pulled Kara to a stop, about a block away from the DEO.  Kara searched her with curious eyes.  “When are you going to let Lena back in?  I’m not stupid—I can see how much this is hurting you both.  I can see how much you miss her.”  Kara’s face fell, and she averted her gaze.  She exhaled loudly, her whole body slumping.

“ ** _Sam_** … I … there’s nothing to fix, okay?”  _Great, more denial._   “Lena and I are fine.  I’m **_not_** avoiding her.  There’s nothing to miss.” 

Sam narrowed her eyes.  “You haven’t slept in the same bed since we … since Lillian.  You can both keep pretending like nothing is wrong, but don’t **_lie_** to me, Kara.  It’s me.  It’s **_us._** ” 

Kara released her hand.  “Just … leave it alone, okay?  I’m not ready…  I can’t.”  Her eyes were brimming with tears, but her jaw was set in determination.  “I just can’t.”  Kara turned and flew away, knowing Sam couldn’t follow.  Not in public.  Not after Kara had just drawn attention to them.  She walked the rest of the way to the DEO in stony silence, pondering the costs of doing what was right.  Ending Lillian had been necessary.  Sam just hadn’t realized that it might come between her girls. 

She just hoped it wasn’t forever.  It couldn’t be.


	55. Found Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena has dinner with Sanvers, and things get emotional. Alex and Maggie try to understand what happened with Lillian, and why Kara and Lena aren't talking right now. Lena struggles with her own demons, but manages to open up about them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like everyone was really hard on Kara after the last chapter, and given how in love with Lena Luthor I am, I get it. But I hope everyone will give our hero the benefit of the doubt, and try not to jump on her so much. She is struggling in ways that I haven't fully fleshed out yet, and I promise we'll get there.
> 
> Also, I am sorry for all the feels.

** Chapter 55 **

“Credit where credit is due, Agent Danvers, I am genuinely impressed that you have embraced the vegan lifestyle.”  Lena lifted her voice just enough that Alex could hear her over the running water.

“Well, let’s not hand out too much credit there, Li’l Luthor.” Maggie chided.  “There’s no **_lifestyle_** involved for Alex, but she’s trying.”  Alex turned her head and rolled her eyes before shutting off the water and sliding the remaining plate into the dishwasher. 

“It’s a hell of a lot more progress than I’ve gotten from _**my**_ Danvers.”  Lena’s heart ached as she said it, but she kept her pain off her face.  Or she thought she had.

“Hey.”  Alex’s hand was on her shoulder as she came around into the living room where Maggie and Lena were already seated, Gertrude resting comfortably against Maggie’s thigh.  “She’ll come around eventually.  She loves you.”  Lena met her gaze and couldn’t hide the hurt in her eyes.  Alex stopped in her path around the couch towards Maggie and instead settled in next to Lena.  “See Maggs, I told you, tonight was not the night for vegan.  We should’ve gone with comfort food and lots of booze.”

“We indulged in plenty of comfort food in Spain, Danvers, and Lena doesn’t process her feelings through her stomach like you and your sister.”

Lena did not have any interest in wallowing right then, so she quickly deflected.  “Yes, tell me about Spain.  Was Barcelona everything you imagined?” 

Alex turned to her with an incredulous look.  “I’m sorry.  First of all, Maggie already told you about Barcelona.”  Lena winced.  “Second, I come home to find out that you led my sister on a secret solo mission to kill your mother and she’s barely said two words to you since then, and you what?—” her face scrunched up as she gestured wildly, “—think we’re just gonna casually discuss honeymoon adventures?”

“Alex,” Maggie cautioned, but Lena knew Alex had a point.  She had just hoped maybe … honestly, Lena couldn’t pretend to know what she hoped, or what she wanted.  She was of two minds.  She felt like she had been of two minds ever since that day.

“No, Maggie, come on!”  Alex’s tone was firm but not aggressive.  Her shoulder brushed against Lena’s as she spoke.  “We traded shallow stories and avoided the elephant in the room all through dinner, but—” Alex caught Lena’s gaze with a fiery look in her eyes, “—Lena, this is a big fucking deal, and we need to talk about it.  You’re hurting.  Kara’s hurting.  You’re telling me you wanted to come have dinner with us— ** _without Kara_** —because you wanted to hear how our trip was?”  Alex gave her that look, the one she and Kara and Eliza had all somehow perfected.  It was a look of pure empathy, that asked ‘come on now, sweetie, don’t you want to be honest with yourself right now?’ 

“Alex.”  Lena sighed.  “It just … hurts, you know?  I don’t even know where to start with this.”  Alex put an arm around her, pulling her into the warmth of her body.  She’d never been quite this affectionate with Lena before, and she wondered what had changed for Alex.  It was surprisingly nice.

“Hey.  It’s okay,”  Alex assured her.  Maggie glanced back and forth between Lena and Alex with an odd look on her face.  Perhaps she was also surprised by Alex’s behaviour, only pleasantly so.  “We just want to understand what’s going on.  Kara won’t talk to me about what happened, which is weird enough in and of itself.  But the fact that she insists nothing is wrong, despite all evidence to the contrary—despite everything J’onn and Sam have told me about what happened—that’s never happened, Lena.”

Lena pulled away just enough so that she could look up into Alex’s eyes, searching.  She found only sincerity there, mixed in with a healthy amount of concern and confusion.  “Kara hasn’t talked to **_you_**?”  Even the thought of it was shocking to Lena.  It made sense that Kara wouldn’t disturb the honeymoon, but normally, Kara would have insisted on a Danvers sisters night the very first night Alex was back in the country, hoping to discuss absolutely everything .

“Yeah, no.  That’s my point.”

Maggie added, “And between the way you and her are both moping around, it seems pretty clear that there’s something deeper here than shit going sideways in an ill-advised fight with your mom.” 

“Not to mention that Sam’s getting pretty damn exasperated by the lack of communication between you two.  It's obvious she knows what’s going on, but she loves you both, so she won’t talk to us.”

“It’s a clusterfuck, and Danvers and I are already tired of it after only a couple of days.  I have no idea how you’ve done this for two weeks.” Lena could hear the strain in Maggie's voice, the frustration.  “So … why are you and Li’l Danvers fighting?  What happened out there?”

Lena fought the heat behind her eyes.  She’d done enough crying already.  She knew the risks, and she did the right thing.  The only thing.  _Right?_   “We’re **_not_** fighting,” she insisted.

“Did you break up?”  Alex’s voice was soft, fearful almost.  As if the thought was unfathomable.  Lena cringed visibly, on impulse. 

“No.”  The question did nothing to calm Lena's nerves.  “Of **_course_** not.  But …”  In some way, Lena did feel like maybe she had lost Kara.  Or that was what the dark voice in the back of her mind wanted her to think. 

“Hey.  Seriously, kiddo, what’s going on?  No judgment.  We’re here for you.”  Maggie and Alex both looked worried now.  Lena took a deep breath, meeting Maggie’s gaze, then Alex’s. 

“We’re not fighting.  We just … don’t see eye to eye on what happened.”  Lena tossed back the rest of the scotch in her glass.  “I guess I’ll start at the beginning.  Maggs?”  She held out the empty glass to finish the question, and Maggie didn’t say anything, instead responding by getting up and taking the glass.  Her source of warmth suddenly gone, Gertrude stretched languidly, then made her way over to Lena’s side.  She put a paw on Lena’s thigh, as if considering climbing across her lap to get to Alex.  She looked back and forth between the two women, as if considering her options, before turning in a circle and settling down against Lena. 

Lena felt something shift inside her.  Maybe it had been building all night, or maybe she was just in a fragile emotional state.  But a firm sense of belonging had suddenly settled deep in her gut.  Being here with Maggie and Alex, by herself.  Having Alex come sit beside her and actively try to comfort her.  The smallest but most resounding vote of confidence was Gertrude.  The tiny creature had previously been so frightened by Lena, but had in this moment chosen to sit beside her rather than her nearby Mama.  And silly as it may have been, that meant something dear to Lena.

Maggie handed her the refilled glass of scotch, scowling at Gertrude before resuming her seat.  “Looks like you’ve finally made it, Li’l Luthor.”

“Looks like I have,” Lena repeated softly., then she steeled herself for storytime  “So, I guess you can imagine that the day after your wedding was a little hectic around here.”  Alex’s eyes went wide, but Maggie chuckled.  Lena put a steadying hand on Alex’s knee, just for a second.  “It meant a lot to Kara that you didn’t come rushing back, by the way.  I know that must’ve been hard for you.”

“I had to threaten her with divorce,” Maggie snarked.  Lena had no idea if she was joking or not, but she wouldn’t be surprised either way.

“That first day was about supporting Kara, whatever she needed," Lena explained.  "But I knew.  From the minute I saw that video, I **_knew_** that I was going to have to do something about my mother.”

“Why not work with the DEO?”  Alex’s question was quiet but incisive.  It was a fair question, and Lena was certain they wouldn't like her answer.

“Mother made it personal.”  Lena took a sip of scotch.  “She’d known Kara’s secret for well over a year.  She’d known that we were together for almost as long.  But her previous actions against Supergirl were either part of her larger anti-alien agenda or were meant to come after me.  To try to bring me into the fold.  This video signaled that something had changed, fundamentally, with her priorities, and I knew that we weren’t safe anymore.  Nothing was safe anymore.”

“You thought you were safe before?” Maggie gasped.  “She kidnapped you twice.  Kara once.  She killed Jeremia—”

“Maggie, I **_know_** ,” Lena cut her off.  “We weren’t **_safe_** before, but it was … it was like a cold war, mostly.  Her actions were twisted and often violent, but when it came to me—and even to some extent to Kara—she was almost playful in her own deranged way.”  Lena shot a sympathetic look towards Alex.  “And I don’t mean to make light of what she did to your father, Alex.  You know I don’t.”

Alex nodded.  The hurt in her eyes was clear, but she didn’t pull away from Lena at all.  “I get what you’re saying.  Even what she did with Dad—it was a chess move for her.  And a last minute, retreating move at that.  This video wasn’t that.”

“No, it wasn’t.  She was done playing games.”  Lena took a deep breath.  “She said it was because she gave up on me.  Despite everything, I think she never gave up on the idea that I would come around eventually.  That I had some Luthor destiny to fulfill with her and Cadmus.  After our last encounter, that ceased to be the case.  She finally realized, in her own twisted way, that Kara is my family.  Not her.  And at that point, it wasn’t about Cadmus anymore.  It wasn’t about human supremacy.  She released whatever loose grasp on sanity she had, and her sole goal became spite.  She just wanted to lash out at us, in all her vindictiveness.”

“So, why expose Kara like that?  Why not just try to kill you both?” 

Lena responded to Maggie’s questioning gaze with a soft shake of her head.  “She wanted us to suffer.  And Kara responded so beautifully to being outed like that.”  Lena could feel the emotion building in her chest, hot and powerful.  “I was _**so**_ proud of her.  But I knew that would only push my mother to take more radical steps.  And with the eyes of the world now focused so tightly on us, I knew it was only a matter of time before someone found out about—”

“Sam,” Maggie finished.

“And Ruby,” Alex added, the overwhelming concern in her voice making it very clear she understood the gravity of what Lena had been contemplating.

“Yes.” Lena remembered that night in bed as the three of them had discussed their family, the future, and the fact that any of them would do whatever it took to protect Ruby.  And she had done precisely that, even if Kara was struggling with it.  “I spent the next three days scouring the Earth for her.  I maybe slept four hours that whole time.  I couldn’t—"  Lena sighed.  "We were all in danger.  My **_family_** was in danger.  And she’s always been my burden, my problem to solve.  So, I did.”

“Once you found her, why not bring the DEO in?  Why risk going it alone?” Maggie asked.

Lena was petting Gertrude softly as the little one slept comfortably at her side.  “I couldn’t risk it.”  She glanced over at Alex.  “I already talked to J’onn about this, but there was a mole in the DEO.  I didn’t know that at the time, and that’s not why I didn’t trust them with this mission.  Honestly, if you had been here, I might’ve done things differently.  I’m really not sure.”  She looked back towards Maggie.  “There was too much up in the air, and I was working on very little sleep.  As far as I was concerned, the only way to be sure my mother didn’t know we were coming was to keep it between me, Kara, and Sam.  I couldn’t risk her escaping again.”

“You went there with the full intention of killing her.”  It wasn’t a question.  Alex’s look was one of pure understanding and recognition.

“Of course I did.” 

Maggie cleared her throat, rather pointedly.  “Hello, cop here.  Can we not go around admitting intent to murder, please?”

“Detective or not, Maggie, you’re one of my best friends, and I trust you enough not to lie to you.  I realize that this may not line up with the letter of the law as you’ve sworn to uphold it, but I knew what I had to do.  I’m sorry if that’s complicated or if you disagree with the morality of my decision.  Kara did too, but that didn’t stop me either.  Lillian had escaped too many times, and each time she did, someone else died.  She had evaded the NCPD, the FBI, and the DEO.  Not to mention Supergirl herself.  Last time, Jeremiah died.  It had to end, Maggie.”

The shorter woman sighed, still visibly uncomfortable, probably more with Lena’s certainty than with the ultimate question of whether killing Lillian was the right thing to do.  Deep down, Lena thought Maggie got it.  Lena was also cognizant of the continuing warmth of Alex’s presence, which she continued to find unexpectedly comforting.  In some ways, she and Kara were mirrors of Alex and Maggie.  One partner who often operated out of the shadows and understood that sometimes what was right was neither pretty nor easy, and the other a publicly visible enforcer of an identifiable, often black-and-white code.  And as she locked eyes with the elder Danvers sister, Lena knew that Alex **_saw_** her in that moment, and believed in the necessity of what she had done.

“Lena, what happened when you got there?”  Lena exhaled, almost painfully, at Alex's blunt question, and her eyes widened in surprise.

“Kara really hasn’t talked to you about **_any_** of this?”  A cloud passed over Alex’s face as she shook her head.  This wasn’t like Kara at all.  _She isn’t talking to me.  I know she isn’t talking to Sam about any of this.  If she isn’t talking to Alex …_  It was a truly disconcerting thought.  Lena felt helpless.  Maybe if she could make Alex understand, she could talk to her sister.  Get through to her.  Help her process whatever it was that she’s struggling with.  There was more here than she understood.  It was deeper than Kara’s moral code.

 _Kara sees what I see.  That I have some of that Luthor darkness in me after all.  That I’m capable of terrible things, when necessary.  …  And maybe she knows that she deserves someone better than that._    _Better than me._

Lena shook her head, warding off her insecurities lest they begin to spiral.  She looked at Alex as she answered the question.  “Lillian was prepared.  I don’t think she expected us, but she was ready.  She had kryptonite.”  Alex’s brow furrowed as her whole body tightened.  She was every bit as furious as Lena had been.  “The DEO told me that all the kryptonite I loaned them for the fight against Reign had been accounted for and returned.  They were wrong.” 

“Mother fucker.”  Alex pushed off the couch, stalking towards the wall but stopping short of throwing a punch.  She paced behind the couch, paced back, and then sat back down. 

Lena put a hand on Alex’s knee again.  “I already unleashed my fury on J’onn.  No need to pile on—he understands, and he’s well aware of what it could’ve cost us.  I don’t know what the status of his internal investigation is right now, but I’m sure he could use your help.”

Maggie caught her eye.  “Sam was there too, though, right?”  Lena understood her question immediately—they were all well-aware of Sam’s much higher tolerance for kryptonite in any form.

“Thank Rao and any other gods out there that she was.”  Lena’s chest tightened again thinking of what might’ve been if Sam was a half-second slower.  “We cornered Lillian in a large underground bunker area, but she caught us by surprise with a kryptonite dart.”  Alex tensed beside her.  “Sam jumped in front of Kara, but there was enough liquid kryptonite in the dart to kill Kara.”  Alex’s hand was a tight fist now, knuckles going white. 

“Look I get it.  If someone tried to kill Alex, I’d be real tempted to murder them too.”  Maggie looked down, before adding softly, “Especially if it was my asshole father.”

“Even then, Kara tried to talk me down from it.  Lillian had a war suit and two kryptonite-powered robots.  Kara and Sam took the robots, and I went after my mother.  I managed to damage her helmet right away, exposing her head, but before I could take the shot, Kara interfered.  Tried to convince me to take her in.  She and Lillian fought, but the kryptonite exposure weakened her."  Lena's voice cracked, and she paused, trying to regain her composure.  "That was when Mother pulled out a retractable kryptonite blade.”

Lena’s voice caught in her throat again, and a tear escaped down onto her cheek, followed shortly by another, and another.  She felt Alex’s hand on her bicep, rubbing soothingly, but Lena couldn’t look at either of them.  She stared straight ahead.  “I was weak.  I … wanted to believe I could be better.  I could live up to what Kara saw when she looked at me.”  _Past tense._   “I could’ve killed Lillian in that moment, ended it, but instead, I tried only to disarm her before she could hurt Kara.  I aimed at the blade, when I should’ve gone for her head.  And I made everything worse.”

She couldn’t stop the tears now.  Maggie moved closer, as Alex continued trying to comfort her.  Lena still couldn’t face either of them.  She drew in a deep, steadying breath, then let it out.  “I tried to be something I’m not, and K-Kara suffered for it.  The blade shattered, embedding shards of kryptonite all over her torso and arms.  One n-nearly severed her forearm.  Sam and I did what we could for her, but she was in so much pain.  If I had just taken the shot …”  Lena bit her lip, not hard enough to draw blood—just enough to focus her, to stave off the sobs that wanted to take her.  “Sam’s cowl was in tatters, and Lillian saw her face.”

Maggie gasped, and Lena felt Gertrude’s head jerk up at the loud noise to her right.  “Lillian tried to escape, vowing to end our happiness.  Everything flashed through my mind then—my childhood, all the abuse, the psychological torment, the kidnappings, everything she’s done or tried to do to Kara—and I finally committed to the task I had intended from the beginning.  But that fucking suit was too fast.  I only grazed the side of her head, and I knew I couldn’t end it.  So I pled with Sam to do it.”

“And she did,” Alex finished.  Lena nodded, then closed her eyes.  She focused on her breathing, willing her body to calm down.  There hadn’t been a night since that she hadn’t had nightmares about that bunker.  On nights when Sam was there, it was a little easier.  Her warmth and steady breathing helped drive the sights and sounds of Kara’s agony away.  But she couldn’t be there every night.  And Kara’s continuing absence only confirmed what Lena knew to be the truth about herself.

“Lena, that’s … look, I’ve got qualms about a couple of supers and a billionaire taking it upon themselves to find justice outside the legal system, but …  I can’t say you didn’t do the right thing.  I can’t say I would’ve done anything different in your shoes.  Hell, I don’t know if I could’ve done it, but I know I would’ve wanted to.  And I know the world is a better place without her in it.”

She managed to steal a glance at Maggie, and there was nothing but kindness and sympathy in her warm brown eyes.  “Thanks, Maggs.  I just wish Kara saw it that way.”

“That’s the part I’m still not getting,” Alex mused.  “This doesn’t sound like Kara.  I mean, yeah, she feels strongly about killing, and she believes in the best of everyone, even monsters like Lillian and Rhea.  But … you were in an impossible situation, and she loves you.  Even if she disagrees with your choice, I don’t understand why she would shut you out like this.  Things were tricky between us when I killed Astra, but it wasn’t like this.  What am I missing here, Lena?”

“And why is she only treating you this way, when Sam is the one who did the deed?” Maggie pondered, clearly confused by Kara’s behaviour.  Because she and Alex weren’t seeing the whole picture.  And if Lena explained it to them, wouldn’t they react the same as Kara?

Keeping secrets wouldn’t get her anywhere.  She had to own what she did.  Even if Sam was the only one who understood, Lena knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that she did what she had to do.  Whether it was right was too simplistic a question, and irrelevant on top of that.  Right or wrong, it was necessary.  Lena did what she had to do to protect her family, and she wasn’t about to start hiding from that.

“This wasn’t like Astra.  And it isn’t just that we killed her.”  Lena couldn’t keep sitting there, didn’t want to feel the pain when her friends inevitably recoiled from her.  Stroking Gertrude’s head one last time, she pushed off the couch, picking up and taking her glass with her.  She poured herself another drink, then came to a halt in front of the windows.  Again, she felt as though she couldn’t face Maggie and Alex if she wanted to get all this out.

“I **_planned_** this.  With Astra, you made a split-second decision in the heat of the moment.  In battle.  To save J’onn’s life.  I knew from the moment I saw that video that I was going to kill her.  Maybe that makes me just like her or Lex—” _it does_ , Lena thought to herself, “—but I don’t feel any guilt about that choice.  It had to be done.  It wasn’t a split-second decision, but it was every bit the same larger question as with Astra.  I know Kara can’t see that, but … it was her or them.  Ultimately, that’s what it would’ve come down to.  So, I put a plan into motion, and I did what I had to do to carry it out.”

Alex’s voice came from the couch, and Lena was grateful that she was respecting Lena’s unspoken request for space.  “Sweetie, I get that it’s a little different, and yeah, premeditation is a more complex issue.  You and I both know that Kara struggles with the morality of these things, with questions of life and death, more than the rest of us do.  She feels that she has to be better, has to be that symbol, and it is difficult for her to see the nuance, the darker necessities of fighting against evil on a regular basis.  But that’s part of what we love about her, right?  She forgave me for Astra; she’ll forgive you, too.  Just give her time.”

Lena wanted to believe her.  She couldn’t imagine a life without Kara.  Not anymore.  Kara was a part of her now.  But …  “I manipulated her, Alex.  Both of them.  In order to get them to come along with me, to go in without the DEO, I told Kara that we would try to take Lillian in alive.  I lied.  Because I had to.  It was the only way to guarantee that I got to her in time.  I needed Kara and Sam to get me there, and I needed them in case Lillian wasn’t there alone.  But I knew full well that I was going to kill her, and there was nothing Kara could do to stop me.  I was determined to accomplish my goal, and in order to do so, I treated the loves of my life as pawns rather than partners.”

The silence was deafening.  Lena took another sip of her glass, steeling herself against the oncoming wrath from one or both of them. 

“Jesus, Luthor.”  Maggie’s use of that name was like a knife in her back, but not an unjustified one.  Lena could hear the smaller woman approach her and she tensed in preparation.  Whatever she had expected, it wasn’t Maggie’s arm wrapping around her waist.  “Hey.”  Lena looked down at her, searching her features in confusion.  There was anger in Maggie’s expression, yes, but there was no disgust.  No sense that she was going to push Lena away.  “You fucked up, Li’l Luthor.  But you’re not a monster.  I promise.”

Alex’s arm came around her shoulder from the other side, and she took the glass from Lena’s hand, placing on the table before wrapping her in a tight hug.  Maggie pulled in closer too.  Lena couldn’t take it anymore.  She let herself completely fall apart, sobbing into the arms of these women who had become like sisters to her.  Alex and Maggie eased her to the floor as delicately as possible, and Lena had no idea how long they stayed like that, huddled together while Lena processed the emotions surging through her body. 

Eventually, Lena’s sobs subsided.  Maggie’s arms relaxed around her, but Alex continued to hold her tight.  As if some unspoken communication passed between her and Alex, Maggie stood up and gave them some space.  Then Alex too Lena’s hands, helping her up and leading her back to the couch.  “I’m gonna take Gertrude outside,” came Maggie’s soft call, and the dog perked up and hopped down off the couch upon hearing the word ‘outside.’  As they left, Lena tried to wipe her face, still afraid to meet Alex’s gaze.

The DEO agent knelt in front of her, placing a hand on her chin to gently force Lena to look at her.  “I’m gonna get real with you, Lena.  Okay?”  Alex’s voice was firm but kind, and she had that determined Danvers look on her face, making it clear that Lena could only answer that question one way.  Lena nodded.

Alex exhaled, putting together her thoughts.  “You and I got off to a rocky start.  I didn’t trust you, at all.  And not just because of your name.  You could’ve been named Lena Thorul for all I cared—you were still this fancy ass, mysterious, powerful billionaire with an inexplicable fascination with my sister.  My sister who was a dorky, nothing reporter hiding—very poorly—the fact that she was actually an alien refugee who had seen more tragedy in her young life than anyone should have to.  I didn’t trust your motives.  And yeah, I’ve got this protective streak when it comes to family, especially my little sister.”

“I hadn’t noticed,” Lena joked, drawing an eye roll and a chuckle from Alex.

“But I think, ultimately, what changed my mind on you is that you have that same protective streak.  You’ve been through your own shit, and it’s completely different from what Kara has been through.  It’s hard to come from what you come from, even with all the many privileges and advantages you have, and not have some serious darkness inside.  But listen, we all do.  I do.  Maggie does.  Sam does.  Kara does.  We’ve all been through stuff that has forced us to struggle with that darkness, especially in the last couple of years.”

Lena wasn’t sure where Alex was going with this.  Sure, everyone struggled with darkness, but Luthor darkness wasn’t the same.  It felt a little silly to think that evil could be a genetic condition, but at this point, Lena couldn’t rule it out.  Alex’s father had his issues; he made some bad choices that led to awful consequences for himself and his family.  But he wasn’t a bad person.  He wasn’t a genocidal maniac.  Lena was related by blood to one and raised by another.  Her darkness was of another magnitude entirely.

“Lena, you made a choice.  One that you felt was necessary, and I can’t really disagree with you.  But in doing so, you betrayed Kara’s trust.  You took away her agency, and you manipulated her into being a part of something she was deeply uncomfortable with.  As Maggie so eloquently put it, you fucked up.  I get why she’s struggling with this.  But …”  A fierce resolve shone in Alex’s eyes, and she gripped both of Lena’s knees.  “You’re **_not_** a bad person.  You were in a terrible position, with no good options, and you made a choice.  A difficult, horrible choice that hurt one of the two people you love most in this world.  That choice had consequences.  But you are **_not_** a bad person.  You did what you felt what you had to in order to protect Kara.  And Sam and Ruby.  Of all people, I understand being willing to do awful things to protect those you love.”

Alex’s words cut right through her.  It was as if the agent had read her mind, repurposing Lena’s own perspective on Jeremiah and turning it against her like a light in the darkness.  But still she resisted.  “Alex, I’m not …  I think you’re being too generous.  As bizarre as that sounds.”  She swallowed.  “You say I have a darkness in me that we all struggle with, that a bad choice doesn’t make me a bad person."  She shook her head.  "But it’s more than that.  My darkness isn’t …”  Lena struggled with how to phrase this, how to make Alex understand that try as hard as she had over the years, Lena knew the truth now.  Knew that no matter how hard she tried, she would never be good in the way Kara and Alex and Sam were.  She was tainted by her family’s affliction.  “Whatever darkness Lex and Lillian have, it is not what normal people face.  It is something more, something more awful.  More toxic.  And I see now that no matter what I do, it is inside me too.  I have the capacity for that same evil.” 

Alex immediately grabbed Lena’s face in both hands and forced her to meet Alex’s blazing gaze.  “No, you don’t.”  The words weren’t shouted, but they had all the force of a maelstrom.  Alex spoke with certainty and passion.  “You are **_not_** like them, and I don’t know how to convince you of that, but trust me when I say that Kara could never fall in love with someone like that.  I could never accept someone like that into our family.  And don’t think I don’t see you for exactly who you are, Lena Luthor.  I **_see_** you.”

Eyes stinging with a new round of unshed tears, Lena wanted so desperately to believe Alex.  But deep down, the doubt was still there.  The fear and loathing, and …  _Why else would Kara have pushed me away?  She sees it, just like I do.  Even if Alex doesn’t._

“Fuck, you aren't gonna make this easy on me, are you?”  Alex sounded exasperated, and she stood, moving to sit next to Lena.  “If you **_ever_** tell Kara I said this, no one will find your body.”  Lena turned her head, eyes narrowing as she examined Alex quizzically.  “You’re the best thing to ever happen to Kara.  I love her, and she’s grown so much since coming to this planet.  But she’s just, fucking **_blossomed_** since you came into her life.  You’ve pushed her and supported her and seen her in ways no one else ever has.  In ways even I haven’t.  You’ve seen her as a hero in every aspect of her life—you always saw Kara Zor-El, I think, from the very beginning.”  Lena was crying again, but her heart was warm now.  “You did what you had to do.  I don’t love how you went about it, but I would’ve killed Lillian too.  I can’t say whether Kara will ever fully understand your decision in the way that you and I do, but I do know that she **_loves_** you.  Every bit as much as she loves me.  You are her partner.  Her rock.  You are family, Lena Luthor.”  Alex smiled softly, and then leaned forward to kiss Lena on the forehead.  “Give her time.  I promise this will pass.  You **_are_** who Kara has always known you to be, and I promise she hasn’t forgotten that.”

She sat there, staring into Alex’s eyes.  The woman was resolute and accepting.  **_Family_** _._   _Maybe she is right about me._   For the first time since that day, Lena felt some measure of hope inside.  Hope that her family wasn’t permanently broken.  That Kara wasn’t lost to her forever.  That they would heal from this.  Together. 

Lena nodded, then leaned in to rest her head against Alex’s shoulder.  “You know, once upon a time, Lex was a wonderful brother to me.”  Alex stiffened for just a moment, then relaxed and slid an arm around Lena.  “But I always wanted a sister.” 

Alex laughed softly.  “Well, we’re not in-laws, not yet anyway.  But you’ve got a sister now.” 

“Two,” Maggie corrected, and Lena jumped in surprise.  She hadn’t heard the detective reenter the apartment, and she had Gertrude in her arms so that there hadn’t been the tell-tale clicking of her little claws against the floor.  Maggie and Alex laughed at her, and she glared at them both.  “You aren’t so damaged that you’re gonna scare us off, kiddo.  Now, I’m finishing off this mint vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream that Alex won’t touch.  Please tell me that you will help.”

Lena smiled brightly.  “I think I can do that.”  As she got up, she shot off a quick text, on a spur of the moment impulse.

[10:04 p.m.]     **I love you.**

Her phone dinged with the response as she and Maggie settled onto the couch with two spoons.

[10:07 p.m.]   **I love you too.**


	56. Conversations with Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our throuple does their big polyamorous interview with Cat, and afterwards Cat and Kara have a talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I'm back! Not much left of this story, and I can't promise anything like a defined posting schedule for these last few chapters. Sorry! But I do apologize for the hiatus. I got a new job and then got really obsessed with this idea for a Buffy/Faith story (https://archiveofourown.org/works/15529920/chapters/36050241 if anyone is interested), and it's been a whole thing. But I hope everyone enjoys this, and so so sorry for leaving this story off in such a sad place.

** Chapter 56 **

“So, we’re all agreed that everything is on the record at this point, unless stated otherwise?”  Sam glanced over at Kara, who flashed a confident smile at her and then at Lena, who was sitting a bit more stoically on her other side.  They all nodded their consent.  Each was dressed in their usual work attire.  Sam was in a flowy blush-coloured blouse with dark slacks and a matching dark blazer with three-quarters-length sleeves (because it was summer in National City after all).  Lena was in a white sleeveless button-up blouse tucked into a form-fitting belted off-white pencil skirt, her makeup perfect as always and her hair in a high and tight ponytail.  Kara was in a more business casual outfit, a simple, sleeveless plaid navy dress. 

“Alright then, ladies, let’s start with terminology.  When I’m talking about your relationship—” Cat cocked an eyebrow, “—relationships?—what words should I be using?  Girlfriends?  Partners?  Help me understand the appropriate language here.”

Kara and Lena began speaking at the same time, then immediately silenced themselves, looking awkwardly at each other before Kara gestured for Lena to continue.  Lena flashed her a soft smile, and Sam’s heart warmed at her continuing attempts to get through to Kara.  “Relationship, singular, is probably best at this point.  While our relationships started separately, they have grown more and more overlapping over time.”  Lena shrugged playfully.  “No, it’s not exactly simple to describe the various dynamics at play between us, but for the ease of storytelling, it makes sense to refer to ours as a three-person romantic relationship.”

Kara looked a little uncomfortable with the way Lena explained that, which made sense given the current disconnect on one side of their little triangle, but any disagreement definitely wouldn’t look great for this interview.  Sam immediately stepped in with a hand on Kara’s thigh and a bright, distracting smile to catch Cat’s attention.  “And girlfriends or partners is fine.  Personally, I’ve always found the word ‘paramour’ quite romantic.”  She winked at Cat playfully, trying hard to sell the picture of a happy throuple.

For the moment, at least, Cat seemed to buy it.  As she glanced down, jotting a note to herself, Sam whispered to Kara, sublingually so that only she could hear her, “Kara, remember.  Unified front here.”  Kara nodded to signal her agreement, then Sam smiled as she intertwined her fingers with those of the woman on either side of her. 

Sam wasn’t worried about Lena, who winked at her reassuringly.  She’d been doing much better since her dinner with Maggie and Alex, and it had warmed Sam’s heart to hear what Alex had said.  Lena was still struggling with her own insecurities and doubts, but more than anything, she just missed Kara.  She needed her partner back.  Things were improving, but very slowly.  At least Kara was talking to Lena now, even if only about shallow things.  The problem was that it only made Kara’s avoidance of the deeper conversation that they all knew was inevitable that much more jarring.  But Kara still wasn’t ready to admit that something was wrong.  And Lena still wouldn’t push her on it.  Fortunately, they were finally on decent enough terms that the three of them could risk opening themselves up to the journalistic scrutiny of Cat Grant, who had been pushing Kara for this interview. 

So here they were, ready to expose themselves to the world, and proclaim their unique and unusual love for each other.  All the while trying to hide the fact that their love was beyond strained at the moment.  They needed to get ahead of the rumours.

“Alright then, ladies.  Now, I am **_of course_** a woman of the world, and polyamory is not exactly anything new to me.  But it is certainly—hmmm—let’s say **_modern_** , shall we?” 

“Call it what you will, Cat, but love is love, right?  That’s the very thing that Kara herself stood for when she led the Pride Parade last week, is it not?”  Sam wasn’t pulling any punches here, even if she kept her voice bright and cheerful.  Was their relationship style common?  No, but it certainly wasn’t some freakish sideshow either. 

Lena jumped in.  “We’re all fairly private people, Ms. Grant, as I’m sure you can imagine.  A billionaire from a tragically infamous family, a single mother, and an alien refugee—we all have our reasons for wanting privacy.  But … for people like Kara and myself, that isn’t exactly possible.  We live in the public eye, and because of that, those we love are forced to do so as well, to some extent.”  She squeezed Sam’s hand, and they shared a warm smile.  “Sam didn’t ask for any of this—not that Kara or I did either—but one thing I’ve learned in my life is that true happiness and genuine connection are rare.  When you find them, you hold onto them, come what may.  I love Kara, and I love Sam.  To me, this is a remarkable thing, because I haven’t had much love in my life.   But as far as I’m concerned, the fact that all three of us happen to love each other at the same time, or the fact that all three of us happen to identify as cisgender women, is hardly remarkable in the least.”

“But certainly you must realize that the general public doesn’t quite see it that way?” Cat interjected.

“Of course not,” Kara answered, and Sam was pleased to see her glance quickly at Lena with a look of cautious affection.  “Unlike Sam and Lena, I am an alien.”  Sam stifled a grin at the blatant lie.  “I am accustomed to the idea that I will be looked upon as different.  A curiosity at best, and a threat at worst.  It comes as no surprise to me that our love might be looked upon with varying amounts of interest by the largely heteronormative, two-person, monogamous culture prevalent in modern American society.  I do not regret loving my girlfriends.  Finding them has been the most astonishingly lucky journey I could’ve ever imagined for myself.  I only regret that my own fame might cause them difficulty, simply because our family doesn’t necessarily look like the norm.”

Sam grinned, kissing Kara lightly on the cheek as she finished her answer.  Then, as she glanced to her left, she noticed the brief moment in which Lena’s eyes were a bit more watery than usual, but the CEO blinked herself back into her normal façade in an instant.  Cat finished another note, then looked straight at Sam.  “Ms. Arias.  The public is by now fairly knowledgeable about the epic Luthor-Super romance between your partners, but I’m curious how you fit in.  First, I’d like you to talk about how you came to be romantically involved with these ladies, and then, perhaps you could shed some light on what it’s like to be, for lack of a better term, the lesser-known third wheel to such a popular power couple.”

Sam’s brow furrowed just slightly, more out of consideration than frustration.  She gave thought to her answer, not letting Cat’s watchful eye goad her into a hasty comment.  “So, first of all, I do want to push back on your third wheel comment.”  She gave Cat a sly grin.  “Respectfully, of course.  I’m not a third wheel, nor is my relationship with Kara and Lena secondary to what they’ve built together.  The bonds the three of us have built together are nuanced and complicated and beautiful, though I **_do_** apologize for my failure to fit neatly into the flashy Super-Luthor romance story.   I should compliment you on your first interview with Kara on the subject; I found it tremendous.”

Cat smiled at her, but she could see the wheels turning in the crafty journalist’s head.  Sam had no intentions of making this easy on her.  “Well, I’m always happy to receive praise from a fan,” Cat purred, twisting Sam’s words ever so slightly to her advantage.  “Perhaps you could tell us a little about how all this started.”

Lena rubbed Sam’s knee, indicating her desire to tell the first part of the story.  Sam grinned and waggled her eyebrows at her girlfriend.  “Sam is my oldest friend,” she explained.  “We met as young women working up the ranks at LuthorCorp.  I was—”

“How interesting,” Cat interrupted.  She gestured between the L-Corp executives.  “So, you two were actually a thing first, before either of you met our resident superhero?”

“In a word, yes,” Lena answered, hiding any frustration at the interruption.  “We were both driven young women in Metropolis.  This was—what, Sam?—seven, eight years ago?”  Sam nodded.  “I was the prodigy heiress trying to prove there was more to me than my name, and Sam was the hardworking single mom who had to fight and scrap for everything.  I’d like to say that opposites attract, but Sam will tell you that I had to work really hard to get her attention back then.  I think she was hesitant to look past my perceived silver spoon.”

“It got easier once I had seen you naked the first time,” Sam quipped.  Cat and Lena chuckled, while Kara turned bright red. 

“Well well, I take it then that you two were more than friends?” Cat inquired.

“Yes.  We had something of a whirlwind romance that first year.  But I blew it,” Lena admitted, and she and Sam shared a meaningful look.  “I was deeply in the closet, trying to prove myself in a male-dominated company as the overlooked adopted sister to LuthorCorp’s golden boy.  I’m not really interested in getting into it, but my mother strongly disapproved of my sexuality, and I was terrified of what being out might mean for my future.  Meanwhile, Sam was an honest-to-goodness adult, trying to make a genuine, worthwhile life for herself and her daughter, and she needed someone who could commit.  That wasn’t me, not back then.”

“And yet, I take it you remained friends after the break up?  If I’m not mistaken, Ms. Arias, you have remained with L-Corp this entire time, working your way steadily up the ranks until you rose to the level of Chief Financial Officer at the old LuthorCorp—is that right?”

“Yup,” Sam answered.  “It was tough for a while, but Lena and I were able to move past our issues, and we became best friends.  She’s been my family all these years, practically an aunt to my daughter.  And I’d like to think she felt similarly—”

“I certainly did,” Lena confirmed.  “The Luthors took me in, raised me, gave me every advantage in life, but I can’t exactly say that they ever loved me.  I didn’t have the best concept of what family truly meant until I met Sam.”  Sam rubbed Lena’s thigh soothingly.  She knew that wasn’t exactly true—Lena had been close to Lex before he went off the deep end, but there was no need to really get into that in this interview.  Lena and Lex’s relationship was too complicated for the public to really understand.  “And when I was thrust into leadership over the entire company, Sam was the person I confided in.  She was the only person I trusted with my fledgling plan to change the name of the company and move our headquarters across the country.  And she was the only person I could trust to keep things moving in Metropolis while I set things up here in National City.”

“So, how did Ms. Danvers enter into this dynamic?  We all know that you and she became acquainted shortly after your move, but how did that working relationship become a romance, and how did Ms. Arias fit into that?’

Now it was Kara’s turn to speak.  “Sam wasn’t really that involved, until after Lena and I had started dating—”

“Well, that’s not exactly true,” Sam demurred.  “I was the person Lena called to gush about the amazing, beautiful, delightful blonde reporter she simply couldn’t get enough of.”  Sam flashed them both a shit-eating grin, and Lena rolled her eyes.

“So, Ms. Luthor didn’t tell you about Supergirl’s secret identity?” Cat asked.

“She did not.  She would never do that to Kara.”  Lena’s pale green eyes were soft with appreciation for the phrasing.  Sam’s comment had been as much for Kara as it was for Cat.  She needed Kara to remember just how much Lena loved her.  How Lena would do anything to protect her.

“Lena had talked about Sam every now and then, but I didn’t meet her until Lena and I had been dating for a few months.”  Kara grimaced adorably.  “I have to admit, I was terribly intimidated by her at first.  She knew Lena better than anyone, better than me.  And they were just so comfortable with each other.”

“Was jealousy an issue early on?”

Kara frowned.  “I wouldn’t say it was an issue.  I haven’t really dated much since I’ve been on Earth; Lena was my first serious relationship.  So, the sensation of jealousy was new for me.  But I never felt … um, **_possessive_** over Lena.  The comfort she and Sam shared was obvious to me, and like I said, it was daunting.  But Sam was so gorgeous and cool and funny, and it was so easy to just slip into their dynamic, even during that first dinner.”

“Things were a little awkward, for sure, but it was never uncomfortable,” Sam added.  “I don’t think any of us quite realized it then, but things just sort of clicked.  Things have always been so natural and organic between the three of us, when we don’t get too much in our own heads.”  She grinned wickedly.  “Which has been difficult for these two, make no mistake.”

“Hardy har,” Kara snarked.

“What do you mean by that?” Cat pushed.

“Well, the concept of polyamory wasn’t new to me,” Sam explained.  “I haven’t really ever felt love as deeply as I did with Lena that first time—not until I met Kara—but monogamy has never been something that made sense to me.  People can maintain multiple close, intimate friendships, and no one blinks.  No one questions the idea that we can love two parents and multiple siblings deeply without any contradiction or jealousy or issue.  So why not multiple romantic partners?  That idea always seemed obvious to me.”

She met Lena’s eyes, and they both smiled.  “Lena always knew that about me, but I don’t think it really mattered much, since she wasn’t looking for anything serious.  Not until she met Kara.  And Kara … I think she learned some confusing lessons about romance when she came to Earth.”  Kara shrugged, smiling softly.  “So, when I moved to National City and started to get to know Kara better, I didn’t think twice about the immediate connection I felt with her.  It felt natural and lovely and right.  But I was well aware that Kara and Lena might not find the concept so easy to grasp, and I certainly wasn’t looking to get in the way of their relationship or hurt either of them.”

Cat swung an extended index finger between Kara and Sam.  “So then, this was the instigating factor that changed things?”

Sam chuckled, but left it to Kara to answer, curious how she would explain.  “Er, uh, yeah.”  Kara bit her lip nervously.  “Sam was such a flirt, though she was a perfect gentleman about it.  She made it very clear that she never wanted to make me—or Lena—feel uncomfortable.  But she’s right, the connection she and I shared felt almost instantaneous once we started getting to know each other.”

Kara shifted in her seat, her shoulders back a little and her chin raised just slightly.  Sam could recognize that she was evoking her Supergirl posture, and she could see where Kara was about to take the conversation.  “On Krypton, romance and family bonds were quite a bit different than here on Earth.  I explained this a little when we first talked about my relationship with Lena, but monogamy wasn’t exactly the norm in my culture.  Many of the great houses entered into two-person marriages for the purposes of strengthening dynasties and maintaining traditions, but marriage wasn’t the same there as it is here.  It was a transaction, and it didn’t limit anyone’s ability to pursue love in whatever forms they might find it.  In many ways, Kryptonian society was more rigid and traditional than modern American society, but when it came to love, sex, and family, things were much more fluid and nuanced.”

“So then, the idea that you could fall for Sam while still being in love with Lena wasn’t particularly challenging for you then?”  Cat was riding a fine line between pushing the conversation forward in a way that was respectful to Kara and her partners, while still digging for all the juicy information her readers were sure to wonder about.

“Not conceptually, no,” Kara answered.  “But Lena was my priority.  Sam is one of the most remarkable people I’ve ever known, but Lena was the love of my life.  I refused to take any action I believed would hurt her.  Once I realized how I felt about Sam, Lena and I took the time to really have an open and frank conversation about my feelings and her feelings.  Sam was Lena’s family, and I wanted her in my life too—the only question was what that would look like.”

“I could see how great they were together, very early on,” Lena added.  “I won’t pretend I didn’t have my concerns at first.  I’ve certainly struggled with a good many insecurities throughout my relationship with Kara, but loving someone means wanting them to be as happy as possible.  It wasn’t hard to see that Sam and Kara clicked in this beautiful, lovely way.  That they had the potential to really increase each other’s happiness.  It was just a matter of seeing that their shared happiness didn’t have to detract in any way from my own.”

“You all make it sound so simple,” Cat remarked, the insinuated question unmistakable.  

“Nothing about it has been simple,” Sam assured her.  “But it works, because we love each other.  And because we have always committed to open and honest communication.  We don’t keep things from each other.”  She met Lena’s eyes, then Kara’s.  She wasn’t being subtle in her own implications here, but it wasn’t like Cat would have any idea about her hidden meaning here.  “We don’t lie to each other, and we never shy away from uncomfortable or challenging discussions.  We’ve all grown so very much since we committed to a full and frank exploration of the connections between us all.”

Cat hummed thoughtfully, writing furiously.  After a few seconds she looked back up, her eyes drifting between Lena and Sam.  “So then, you and Kara start dating.  You’re telling me that didn’t create any sort of antagonism or competition between you two, sharing a girlfriend?”

Lena laughed—and no mere chuckle at that.  Sam found the reaction a bit mystifying, given that they couldn’t exactly delve into the whole Reign saga.  _Be careful, Lee._   Cat, for her part, merely raised a curious eyebrow and waited for Lena to explain herself.  “There was a lot going on then, and more than a little friction between the three of us, let me assure you.  Kara and Sam started dating around the same time that Supergirl was facing off against her most terrifying and powerful foe yet.”  Cat’s eyes flashed with recognition, but thankfully, she didn’t immediately push them on the question of Reigh.  Everything was challenging at the time, and all of us suffered.  All of us experienced pain and fear and worry for each other.” 

Sam interlaced her fingers with Kara and Lena both, squeezing tightly as Lena continued.  “But to answer your specific question, Ms. Grant, no.”  Lena shook her head derisively.  “There was certainly no competing for Kara’s affection.  I love Kara, and I loved seeing the joy that she experienced as she began dating Sam.  And I love Sam, though I didn’t quite realize until recently the full extent of those feelings.  I never once felt like Sam and Kara’s relationship detracted from mine and Kara’s.  There were certainly lessons learned as they grew together, and we all adapted, but it was never antagonistic.”

“And what led you to take that final step?” Cat inquired.  “What was the ‘aha’ moment when you realized Sam was more than just a friend for you, too?”

Sam and Lena had prepared for this question beforehand.  Obviously, they couldn’t tell that full story without revealing Sam’s secret identity.  “We realize this answer is probably pretty boring, but things just sort of evolved organically,” Sam explained.

“Things became somewhat uncomfortable once Kara and Sam started to get serious, which was confusing, since the three of us were spending more and more time all together.”  Lena made a face, an absolutely adorable expression where she raised an eyebrow and ever so slightly bit her lower lip at the same time.  It conveyed a sort of jovial uncertainty.  “ I suppose that at some point, we realized the source of the tension was that Sam and I were trying to pretend we were just friends when there was still so much more between us.  When you get in the habit of being radically honest with each other, it becomes a lot harder to keep anything hidden, even from yourself.”

“We had this one particularly charged moment,” Sam continued the story.  “And it was just so intensely sensual, and we just kissed.  It was so electric and inevitable, and everything just sorta fell into place.  We talked to Kara about it, and she was so thrilled.”

“I had been hoping it would happen,” Kara confessed, practically bouncing in excitement.  In this moment, it was like she was the Kara of old, every bit as excited as she had been when Lena and Sam first told her that they had kissed. 

Lena finished the story.  “And after that, it’s just been a matter of feeling each other out.  Taking things slowly and developing new dynamics.  Figuring out the extent to which we have some things that are for any two of us and others that the three of us share all together.”

Cat nodded, her eyes on her notepad as she continued to write.  “Well, that **_is_** exciting,” she muttered, clearly more focused on connecting dots and crafting an angle on their story as she caught her breath and assessed what else she wanted to know.  “Now, I have just a few quick questions, and I do hope you won’t hold it against me if any of them feel too invasive.  Feel free to decline any answers you’re uncomfortable giving.”  She eyed them all, waiting for them to nod their consent.

“First, we’ve mentioned a couple of times that you’re a single mom, Ms. Arias.  I have no interest in prying into your daughter’s privacy, but I am curious to hear how she has handled everything and what she thinks of your relationship.”

Sam appreciated how respectful Cat was when it came to Ruby, and she knew from Kara that it grew out of her own intense protective streak for her son Carter.  “Ruby’s been great,” she assured the journalist.  “I think she struggled with it the least of any of us.  She’s always loved Lena, and Kara grew on her really quickly.  Ultimately, she just wants me to be happy, and while Lena has always been a part of our family, it’s also been good for Ruby to get a taste of what an extended family is like.  She has a particularly lovely relationship with Kara’s adopted mom.”

“They like to bake together,” Kara added, her voice thick with affection and pride.

“That leads nicely into my next question.  Obviously, both Lena and Kara are involved in Ruby’s life.  What is the living situation like?  Have the three of you given any thought to making this unorthodox family more official in any way?”

Kara’s eyes went wide, and Sam did her best to remain calm as Lena watched Kara cautiously.  It was hard for them to think about their future after everything that had happened with Lillian.  Questions of marriage and adoption and family had been left by the wayside after that video dropped, and things between Lena and Kara weren’t even close to being fully healed yet.

Sam knew she was going to have to be the one to try to give a measured response to this question.  She drew a thoughtful breath, placing a hand on the knees of both her girlfriends on either side of her, then released it.  “Obviously, we’d like to maintain our privacy as much as possible, Cat.  So, we aren’t going to get into our living situation in any detail.  Suffice to say, we spend most of our time outside of work and, uh, superheroing duties, together.”  She glanced at Kara, who was starting to regain her composure, and then Lena, who was gazing wistfully at Kara.  “As for the future, that’s hard to say.  Obviously, there isn’t a jurisdiction in the United States that recognizes three-person marriage, so legally, things are complicated.  But we are very much in love, and very much a family.”  She smiled at Lena before offering a wicked grin towards Cat.  “And I’m sure you’re well aware that Lena has all the best lawyers in the world at her disposal.  I’m sure we’ll figure something out.”

All four women chuckled at that, and the tension eased a little between them.  “I appreciate your candor, Ms. Arias.  Such a delightful conversationalist you’ve snagged for yourself here, Kara.” 

“Oh, you have no idea,” Kara assured her.  “Are we done?”

Cat flipped through her notes, analyzing them for a good thirty seconds.  “I believe so.”  She met each of their eyes in turn before saying, “Thank you for your time ladies, and for sitting through any awkward questions on my part.  I’ll coordinate with Kara as I get the story together, and I’m sure she’ll let you know when the interview is going to be published in CatCo Magazine.”

~~~~

Kara hung back after Lena and Sam headed back to L-Corp.  She’d given each of them a kiss goodbye, but she had lingered with Lena.  She’d had to hold onto Lena, who had been expecting an obligatory peck, lengthening the kiss into something soft but warm.  When she pulled back, she held Lena’s face in her hand, and they shared several moments of unspoken communication, gleaming cerulean eyes trying to convey a mix of affection, concern, and desire for reconciliation as they fixed onto wary emerald ones.  She had kissed Lena once more, this one just a peck, then Lena had wordlessly followed Sam out of the building.

“I hadn’t gotten a chance to tell you how much I love the new haircut.  How very **_butch,_** ” Cat purred, as the two of them walked out to Cat’s balcony.  She didn’t hesitate to pour them both a glass of brandy, as they took seats together on the far couch.  Kara grinned nervously.

“You really like it?”  Cat shot her a droll side eye, to indicate that Kara should know better by now than to question her sincerity.  “It felt like a good time to take a risk, make a change.  Can’t pretend I wasn’t a little inspired by the offer to lead the Pride Parade.”

“Ah yes, putting your gayest foot forward.  Sensible,” Cat chuckled.  “The rainbow cape was a nice touch.”

“Were you there or did you just see the photos?” Kara asked, trying her best to be sly.  Cat saw right through her attempt.

“You know, Supergirl, if you wanted to ask if I’m out and proud about my bisexuality, you could just do so.”

Kara fought a grin, then turned conspiratorially towards Cat, eyebrows waggling as she asked, “Hey Cat, are you an out and proud bisexual?”

Cat rolled her eyes and shook her head in exasperation.  “You’re such a dork, Supergirl.  And don’t think I’m going to let you write some scoop on the secret queer lifestyle of the illustrious Cat Grant.”  Kara pouted, and Cat shoved her lightly.  “Suffice to say that I’ve been going to the National City Pride Parade for two decades now, and I wasn’t about to miss my favourite superhero leading it.”

Kara bounced a little in excitement, both at the revelation that Cat was a regular attendee at the Pride Parade and that she was her favourite superhero.  Not that it was in doubt, but it was nice to hear anyway.  But then Cat shifted the tone of the conversation.

“So, what’s the deal with you and the Luthor?” Cat asked, all subtlety out the window.  Kara frowned, taking a long sip of the brandy to avoid having to answer until she could gather her thoughts. 

“What makes you think there’s a deal?” Kara inquired cautiously, not willing to give anything away.  It went without saying that this conversation was off the record, so she wasn’t concerned about that.  She was, however, a little thrown off that Cat had picked up on something during the interview.

Cat pursed her lips impatiently but elected to play along with Kara’s game.  “Well, we **_could_** start with how fluid and dynamic and comfortable your girlfriends seemed with each other, and how stiffly you interacted with them in comparison.”  Cat raised an eyebrow at her, peering over the rims of her glasses.  “Then there was Sam’s fidgeting and glances anytime you came close to saying something uncomfortable or looking at Lena with anything other than adoration.”  She waved a hand casually in the air.  “And there was how you chose to arrange yourselves—a subtle thing, and likely nothing in and of itself, but in the context of everything else, it spoke volumes that Sam had to sit as a barrier between you two.”  She pulled her glasses softly from her nose, then placed them on the table in front of them.  “Should I continue?”

Kara sighed.  “No, you’ve made your point.”  She ran a hand through her hair, feeling that familiar thrilling sense of momentary shock when, instead of the heavy locks her hand expected to find, there was only shaved little hairs and swooping bangs.  She smiled softly, eyes searching the horizon lackadaisically.  “You know, the haircut was Lena’s idea.”  Kara pressed her lips together as she blew a loud breath through her nose.  “After Alex dyed her hair purple, she started dropping hints about how cute I would look with shorter hair.  But I didn’t like the idea of wearing a wig as Supergirl.  Didn’t know how to get one that could hold up to the rigors of flying.”  A few seconds passed, and Kara could feel the tell-tale warmth of tears forming in her eyes.  “Now … I don’t even know if she likes it.  I haven’t asked her.  We’re not talking, all because I …”

“I didn’t get the sense that she was particularly upset with you, Kara.  So what is it that she did to cause this rift?”  _Always so insightful_. 

“I can’t … it’s classified, Cat.”  Her mentor twirled her finger in the air sarcastically, and Kara shrugged in answer.  She didn’t know how to tell any part of this story—not only was she under strict orders from Lucy not to, she didn’t know the extent to which any of them might be open to some sort of legal or criminal action if the truth came out.  It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Cat, but there was a lot to consider. 

“I really can’t tell you any of it.  All I can say … is that she manipulated and lied to me in order to do something … ugh.  This thing she did— ** _we_** did, since she roped Sam and me into it—wasn’t something that I am at all comfortable with, and it scares me to think what her willingness to do this thing, and to manipulate me in order to get me to help her with it, says about her.  About what she’s capable of.  About what she believes is right.”

Kara could feel Cat considering her, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at her.  Cat cleared her throat.  “This thing that Lena did, that you find so troubling—did it make you love her any less?”

“No,” Kara whispered, her voice speaking the truth before her mind could even fully register the question. 

“And … if this thing was so awful, but not enough to make you love her any less, then why would she do it?  I assume she knew the affect it would have on you.  So, what could’ve motivated her to do this?”  Cat’s voice was kind but probing.

“She did it to protect us.” Kara’s voice cracked a little, but she sucked in a steadying breath, willing herself to calm down.  “There was a clear and present threat to me, to Sam, to Ruby … to everything we’ve built together.  Everything we care about.” 

Cat put a hand on her knee.  “So—” Kara finally met her gaze, and Cat smiled softly at her, “—let me be sure I’m perfectly clear on this.  You’re telling me that you’re girlfriend, who you just sat there in that room and told me was the love of your life—”

“They both are,” Kara corrected.

“Fine, fine.  One of the two loves of your life,” Cat conceded, eyes narrowing at the interruption.  “ ** _The_** Lena Luthor, whose work and charitable contributions have done more to improve the lives of humanity than any other human being in modern society, who has gone over and above the call of duty in proving that she is not like her mother or her brother, who has won the heart of not one demi-goddess, but **_two_** —” Cat raised her eyebrows for emphasis, and Kara just looked at her, waiting for the actual point.  “You’re trying to tell me that this annoyingly good person made a morally challenging decision, which she knew might cause problems between the two of you, because she earnestly believed it was necessary to protect you and your family?”

Tears welling in her eyes again, Kara struggled to answer.  Instead, she nodded softly, and Cat continued.  “Kara, take the morality out of it.  Take the manipulation out of it, even though I agree that you have every right to be upset about that part.  Just tell me this: do you agree that this thing Lena did was necessary to protect all of you?”

“Yes!” Kara blurted out, springing up and pacing forward as she chewed on her lip in thought.  She paced back and forth, shaking her head as her body tensed with pent up confusion and frustration.  “But that doesn’t make any of it any easier, Cat!”

“Don’t you think it should, though?”  Cat tossed back the remains of her brandy, grimacing ever so slightly before she stood to face the disgruntled young journalist.  Kara pouted, but relaxed a little as Cat put a hand on each shoulder.  “It sounds to me like Lena did something really difficult, at the risk of everything she holds dear, to protect the people she loves.”  The older woman’s lips quirked into a puzzled expression.  “And that makes you doubt her goodness?  Really, Supergirl?”

Kara’s head dropped, the tears flowing freely now.  Cat pulled her into a hug, holding her as she cried into the older woman’s probably very expensive blouse.  Once she had let it all out, Cat pulled away and leaned onto the balcony railing, like she always did when they had these talks.  Wiping her eyes and swallowing hard, Kara turned to go stand beside her.

Cat hip-checked her lightly.  “Don’t take what you have for granted there, Kara Danvers.  I can’t even tell you how much I admire the life—the family—that you’ve built for yourself.  You’ve got two great loves, two women who would do anything to protect you.  A daughter—and yes,” Cat waved her hand dismissively, “I know she isn’t **_your_** daughter, but it’s obvious you care about her as if she were your own.  You have a mother and a sister and a sister-in-law and two lovely homes and a great job with an **_excellent_** mentor, and ultimately, the only thing that really matters is you all love each other.  She protected you, and you have protected her on any number of occasions.  What you have is real, and not all of us are lucky enough to have something like that.”

She turned and faced Kara, placing a hand softly on her cheek.  “Don’t screw it up, Supergirl.  Go talk to your girlfriend.”


	57. A Super and a Luthor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Lena finally talk to each other about all the painful emotions keeping them apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for another delay, but I'm hoping--no promises--to finish this story up by the end of the year. Which means more regular updates, and a lot of fun ahead. Buckle up!

Lena had just settled into her work for the day when she heard a gust of wind and the muffled sound of feet touching down onto the balcony behind her.  A fresh pang of sorrow stabbed through her chest at the realization that it had been weeks since she had heard those tell-tale sounds of Kara coming to visit her at work. 

That kiss had given her hope, and she wanted to hold onto it.  She could still feel Kara’s lips on her own, and at the time, she had believed Kara’s soft but insistent look as she held Lena’s face in her hands spoke of a desire to reconcile.  But that didn’t stop her nagging, anxious brain from trying to convince her otherwise.   _Why is she here?  Did I say something wrong in the interview?  Did I misread the kiss?  Was it a goodbye?  Is she going to—_

The balcony door opened, breaking into Lena’s spiral.  She turned to face Kara, who took two steps into the office and stopped, a nervous little smile on her lips.  “Hey, ummm, could we talk?”  Kara’s eyes widened, just a little, and she tensed up.  She made a few adorably wild gestures as she added, “I mean, if you have time!  I know you’re really busy, and your work is very important, and I don’t want to impo—”

“Kara, calm down.”  The blonde’s rambling put Lena at ease, somehow.  Despite everything, Kara was still Kara.  _But is she still_ **my** _Kara?_   “Please come in.”  She stood, noticing that the balcony door had seemingly shut itself.  Kara’s increasing use of super speed in her everyday life was still something Lena hadn’t adjusted to yet.  “What did you want to talk about?”  Lena asked hesitantly.

Kara blushed slightly, stuttering, “Well, I just … I mean I hoped … **_oh Rao_** , can I just hug you?  Please?” 

All it took was a surprised, “Uh … yes?” for the superhero to close the distance between them in the blink of an eye.  A still very much stunned Lena just stood there, her arms at her side, as strong arms held onto her as fiercely as they could without hurting her.  A couple of long seconds passed before Lena’s body caught up to her brain, and in a jerk, she wrapped her arms around her girlfriend.  As they held each other, Lena was overwhelmed by the physical sensation of being this close to Kara again—the familiar shape and feel of her body, the smell of her hair, and the soft sounds of her breathing were all so perfect.  For the first time since Kara had been outed, Lena felt in this fleeting moment that everything was right again.  She never wanted this hug to end, because she was terrified of what might come next.

The moment lasted an eternity, and yet it was over too soon.  Lena tensed again, almost immediately, as Kara pulled away and paced away from her.  The blonde looked as though she had no idea what she wanted to say.  Lena could see the concentration and conflict on her face, with that little crinkle between her brows and the corners of her glossy pink lips turned ever so slightly downward.  Kara was so lost in thought that she seemed unaware of the uncomfortable silence that began to build between them, but with every passing moment, Lena’s anxiety grew.  By the time Kara finally turned back to face her, Lena had already spiraled back into her fear that Kara, despite her warmth, had come here to end things.

Which made Kara’s words that more surprising.  “I can’t take this anymore.  I **_miss_** you so so much, but I don’t know how to get past this.  But we have to.  I can’t be happy without you in my life.  And I … gosh, I’m sure I’m gonna mess this up, and it’s gonna hurt, but can we just talk this out?  I want to find a way back to us.”

Lena frowned.  _You’re the one who shut me out,_ she thought, careful not to voice her opinions without careful consideration.  _And we both know that you’re right about me._    Despite Alex and Maggie’s pep talk, Lena still couldn’t shake the voice in her head that told her she was a Luthor deep down, and she didn’t deserve Kara.  Much like Kara, Lena couldn’t get past it either.

Before either of them could say more, Lena pressed a button on her phone, and Jess’ voice popped in.  “Yes, Ms. Luthor?”

“Jess, no one is to come into my office until I say otherwise.”

“Yes, ma’am.  I’ll take care of it,” the assistant confirmed cheerfully.

“Thank you, Jess.”  Lena hung up, having ensured their privacy, and then turned to face Kara.  “Kara … what exactly is there to talk about?  Where would we even begin?”  Lena continued standing beside her desk, the tense distance between herself and Kara a perfect symbol of the seemingly insurmountable emotional rift between them. 

“Somewhere,” Kara blurted awkwardly.  “I d-don’t know!  But we need to talk about it…”  Her eyes implored Lena to start things off, as if she hadn’t come to Lena’s balcony looking to talk.  As if she wasn’t the one who had distanced herself and pushed Lena away.

“Kara, you’re the one who has a problem.  **_You_** cut **_me_** out of your life, not vice versa.  I don’t think it’s fair to expect me to able to just read your mind and know what it was that made you so repulsed by me.”

“I’m not,” Kara corrected in a barely audible whisper.  “I just … I needed space.  Needed to figure out why this hurt me so much.  And I still don’t understand—”

“Understand what?”

Kara blew out a frustrated breath.  “Do you have any idea how much it hurt when I realized that you had lied to me?  Manipulated me?  Treated me like a pawn in your ongoing war with Lillian?  I know you think you had to, that the ends justified the means, but Lena, you **_used_** me.  I never … that wasn’t the Lena I fell in love with.  It was like something…”  Kara’s voice trailed off, as if she was afraid to say the name.

“It’s okay, Kara.  It was like something Lillian or Lex would’ve done.  You can say it.”  Lena’s voice was tight, only just barely under control.  “You and I both know it.”  Lena knew she should admit how much it terrified her, how much it hurt her to do that to Kara and Sam.  But she didn’t see another way.  And she certainly didn’t regret it—her family was safe from Lillian, now and forever. 

“How could you do that to us?” Kara demanded, cerulean eyes suddenly watery.  “How could you treat us like that?  Lena, you’re my partner, my love, my h-home.  I just don’t understand why you   to treat me like an object—an object of **_violence_** —instead of just talking to me.”

“Because I knew you wouldn’t be okay with it!” Lena shouted.  “It was the right thing to do to protect our family, and I think deep down you know that.  But it had already been several days since the video, and I didn’t have time to try to convince my idealistic hero girlfriend that it was morally acceptable for me to murder my own mother!”  Lena paused, exhaling loudly as she blinked back some tears.  “And yes, I was insanely sleep deprived and obsessed, probably not in my right mind, but those are just excuses!  And I’d do it again if I had to, because you and Sam and Ruby and Alex and Maggie and Eliza are **_safe_** now.  That is what matters most to me!”

 Kara turned away from her, resuming her pacing.  Lena could read the stress and tenseness rippling through the hero’s body.  She kept fidgeting with her cape, and after a minute or so, she just removed it, letting it fall to the floor in a heap.  Lena just waited, afraid of pushing the Kryptonian any further.  Kara would talk when she was ready.

Finally, Kara dropped herself heavily onto the couch, her legs wide and her elbows coming to rest on her knees as she hid her face in her hands.  The entire time, she had studiously avoided looking at Lena, and now Kara just looked so broken and lost.  “You killed someone.”  Her voice was weak and haunted.  “You treated us like weapons, even in that last moment when you had Sam do the killing for you.  I don’t know how to get past that.”

Lena’s heart leapt to her throat.  The accusation was no worse than the ones she had leveled at herself since that awful day, but it hurt so much more hearing it come from Kara’s lips.  Everything—her fears, her doubt, her self-hatred—were so much more real with the confirmation that this really was how Kara saw her.  Why Kara had pushed her away.

Her body felt numb, matching the internal sense of powerlessness Lena was experiencing.  “I’m sorry,” she whispered.  “This was all too good to be true.  I should’ve known.”  She walked over to pour herself a glass of scotch.  The burn of the liquor on her throat calmed her a little, but it didn’t change the harsh reality of where this conversation had to end.  “I don’t deserve you.  Never did, I suppose.  I’m just sorry I let it get this far.  That you had to find out this way.  That deep down, I really am a Luthor after all.”  She was no longer facing Kara, and as much as a part of her wanted to break down in this moment, to let loose the anguish in a storm of sobs and tears, Lena had already locked those emotions tightly into a box, guarding herself from them with walls of ice.  If this was how it ended, she had to shut off those emotions if she was going to survive.  “A creature of darkness can’t hope to hold onto someone as good and light as Kara Zor-El.”   

“Is that … is **_that_** what you think?”  Kara’s voice was still quiet behind her, but now it took on a puzzled, frustrated tone.

“There’s no need to hide from it anymore,” Lena scoffed, unable to resist the self-loathing flooding through her chest.  “That’s why you pushed me away.  That’s why you can’t stand to be with me anymore.  You finally see it as clearly as I do.  No matter how much good I do, my baser nature is still there, and there’s no telling when it will come out.  Today, I killed my own mother; tomorrow…”  She let her voice drop off.  No doubt Kara had already imagined all the horrors Lena was capable of if she slipped into the same madness that had consumed the kind and protective brother she had known as a child.

The silence set in again, and Lena couldn’t bring herself to face Kara, who was no doubt steeling herself to say those last words.  Lena braced herself for the pain, the end that would fundamentally alter her life and potentially break up the only real family she had ever known.  But it was what she deserved.  The love and happiness she’d experienced over the last year and a half were a gift, fleeting but incompatible with Lena’s fundamental nature.

“You’re an idiot, Lena Kieran Luthor.”  Lena gasped, spinning around so quickly that she nearly fumbled her glass.  Kara was standing again, hands on her hips, and she looked every bit the part of Supergirl even without the cape.  Lena just gaped, completely caught off guard. 

Kara continued.  “Lillian was a spiteful, abusive bigot.  Lex is an egomaniac who never learned humility or empathy, and he let his darkest emotions control and corrupt him into a destructive lunatic.”  Kara ran a hand through her short hair, practically growling in frustration.  “You’re nothing like them.  Rao, how could you even think that?  You’re one of the best people I’ve ever met, Lena.  You’re **_so_** good, and **_that_** is why this all hurts so much.”

Lena’s brow furrowed.  “But then why—”

“Because I still love you!” Kara roared, all her inner fire and passion coming to the surface.  “You did this horrible, hurtful thing to me—and to Sam—and I don’t know how to get past it, but through all of it, I still freaking love you so damn much.  I don’t understand it!  You killed someone!  And you were so cold and calculating about it!  And you manipulated me and Sam to make us a part of it… a-and I don’t know what that says about you.  I don’t know what it says about me that it didn’t lessen the strength of my love for you at all.”

Kara sunk back down onto the chair.  Lena felt frozen in place, trapped by her own uncertainty.  _She seems so sure that I’m not like my mother or brother, and yet she still sees me as a bad person, capable of something she considers abhorrent.  She loves me, but maybe she wishes that she didn’t?  What am I missing here?_   She sat her scotch glass down on the credenza, but she didn’t know what to do or say next.  Kara watched her, looking just as lost, and then the words fluttered past Lena’s lips before she even realized she was talking.  “I love you too.”

Those four quiet words somehow shattered the distance between them.  Kara looked up at the ceiling, continuing to blink back tears but failing to catch them all.  Lena felt a strong urge to go and wipe them away, to kiss Kara and apologize and tell her everything would be okay.  But she still didn’t think they would be, and she didn’t know if Kara would be okay with Lena touching her right then.  Then Kara pleaded, “P-p-please c-come sit by me.”

Lena wasted no time in moving around the opposite end of the coffee table and settling down next to her girlfriend.  She was careful to still leave a few inches of space between them.  Tears slid down Kara’s cheeks, but Lena resisted her instinct to comfort the blonde, still unsure of herself.  Kara sniffed, then looked away from Lena as she confessed, “I d-don’t think I’m the upstanding pillar of morality everyone sees me as.”  She sounded terrified, and that was when Lena’s barriers broke down.

Scooting closer and putting a hand on Kara’s knee, Lena gently asked, “Why do you say that?”  Kara continued to look away, but her body relaxed into Lena’s touch, instinctively.

“That’s what bothered me so much.  Yeah, the way you treated me was unacceptable, and it hurt.  A lot.  But that isn’t why I p-pushed you away.  It was because I didn’t want to face the things you made me see in myself.”  _So that’s why she hasn’t talked to anyone about this, not even Sam or Alex.  But why?_

“Love, I’m … um, I’m here if you want me,” Lena offered hesitantly.   “It isn’t good for you to hold this in.  What things?”  Kara didn’t move, and Lena got that much more worried.  Making the decision to let go of her own hurt and uncertainty, she reached out to Kara.  She gently turned the blonde’s face back towards her, before running her hand up and along the soft, shorn hair just above her ear.  Lena stroked soothingly, her gaze imploring Kara to let her in.  For a worrisome moment, Kara’s jaw remained set, but then finally she let go, nodding her assent to Lena.  The CEO pulled her hand back, setting it back on Kara’s knee while she waited for her to explain.

When she did finally speak again, Kara’s voice had a wariness to it that was so unlike her.  “How you were when you were searching for Lillian, the ferocity you showed when you threw yourself into battle with her …”  Kara paused, her eyes momentarily distant.  “I could read it all over you, that rage and determination and certainty that you would end her.”

Lena’s chest felt tight at the way Kara’s words sounded, so conflicted and horrified.  But she didn’t interrupt, waiting to see where Kara went with her thoughts.  “It just … reminded me … of m-me.”  Tears began to fall again, and Lena couldn’t fathom what Kara meant.  “I have all this inner anger and violent tendencies.  T-thought I was past it, but I don’t know if I ever will be.  I watched my planet and everyone I had ever loved die, and I’ll carry that weight until the day I die.  I have all this rage and fury at the unfairness of it, and you reminded me of that.  What happened with Lillian just drudged up all these memories and feelings that I didn’t want to face.  So I avoided all of it.”

Lena moved to rub Kara’s back, but the hero recoiled from her.  She sprung to her feet, her internal turmoil propelling her into agitated pacing.  “I killed my uncle Non.  Yes, it was necessary, and yes, he left me no other choice.  But that didn’t make it right that it felt so **_good_**.  He hurt so many people that I care about, including Astra, and it felt good to end him.  It felt **_right_**.”

Kara shook as she began to sob, but she held up a hand to stop Lena when she rose to go comfort her.  She just held herself, crossing her arms and gripping hard onto her elbows until she could gain some amount of control over herself.  It took all the willpower Lena had to respect Kara’s silent request for space.  Kara sucked in a deep breath and released it shakily. 

“And that w-wasn’t the only time.  The red kryptonite brought it out most, and I nearly killed Cat and Alex.  I **_wanted_** to.  And I didn’t have the excuse of red K when I nearly killed Edge for framing and then trying to murder you.  I came so close to beating Rick Malverne to death when he kidnapped Alex.” Kara closed her eyes, trying and failing to choke back her emotions.  “Wha-whatever d-darkness you think you have inside, I have more inside of me.  I have the sorrow and fury of an entire dead world in my soul, and I’m scared that one day I won’t be able to hold it in anymore.”

This time Lena couldn’t stop herself from going to Kara, and she wrapped her in a tight embrace as the blonde fell apart in her arms.  Lena just held her and stroked her hair as she sobbed into Lena’s chest.  She had no idea that Kara had this turmoil inside her, or that her actions would’ve had this sort of effect on her.  Lena didn’t know what to do other than to hold her, trying her hardest to pour all of her love and affection through touch.  She didn’t care about the tears and snot on her blouse.  She didn’t care that Kara held on so tightly that it hurt a little.  All that mattered was getting through this, and coming out on the other side, together.

Eventually, Kara began to settle down, her energy spent.  Lena led her softly by the hand back to the couch.  They sat down together, Lena’s arm sliding over Kara’s shoulders and pulling her close.  “I had no idea you were carrying all of this inside you,” Lena whispered into Kara’s ear.

Kara turned to face her, leaving only a few inches of space between their faces.  “I don’t know what to do about it,” she muttered, voice still weak and afraid.  “And you … the way you went after her so single-mindedly, without any thought to anything other than ending her—it was just too much like my own inner darkness.  And I couldn’t face it.”  Kara’s hand found Lena’s cheek.  “But it wasn’t fair of me to take that out on you.”  She leaned forward tentatively, and Lena met her halfway for a brief but meaningful liplock.

Kara broke the kiss but didn’t pull away, resting her forehead on Lena’s.  Her eyes remained closed.  “I’m s-sorry I abandoned you,” she whispered.  “I never thought about what you were going through, that you could’ve imagined that I would see you like that.”  She kissed Lena, this time frantically.  It felt like Kara just needed something real and trustworthy to hold onto, and she kissed Lena as if she were the only thing keeping Kara tethered to the world. 

Lena kissed her back with equal ferocity.  She had missed Kara so much, and she had been so scared that they wouldn’t be able to find their way back to each other.  In between kisses, she managed to gasp out, “I’m so so sorry, Kara.”  She began to kiss along Kara’s jaw, continuing her apology as she went.  “I shouldn’t have treated you that way.  Shouldn’t have become so obsessed with finding her.  Shouldn’t have manipulated you.  Lied to you.  I was just so frantic.  So scared about what she might do next.  I had to protect you all, a-and I didn’t let myself think about anything else.  I am so sorry.”

Kara cut her off then, with another searingly passionate kiss.  “Creampuff, I forgive you.”  She pulled back to search Lena’s eyes.  “I’m still terrified, but…”  She kissed Lena.  “But we can figure it out together.  I’m so sorry I pushed you away.  I never ever want to lose you.”

“You won’t,” Lena assured her before returning another kiss, pulling Kara in closer and allowing her hands to wander a bit.  “But let’s not do this again, okay?”  Kara pulled away to shoot her a questioning look, and Lena answered quickly, desperate to get back to the kissing.  “No matter how scared you are, or how angry, please just talk to me.  I’d rather be fighting with you than to have you push me away like that again.  I don’t think I could handle it again.”

“I promise,” Kara murmured, trailing kisses along Lena’s neck.  Lena’s skin felt like it was on fire, and she needed to feel Kara against her.  After weeks apart, all she wanted was to be wrapped up in her love again.  They took their time undressing each other, finding it difficult to keep their lips off each other.  They both laughed a little as Lena struggled to extract Kara from her Supergirl outfit while refusing to go without kissing her again every few seconds.  But it didn’t matter.  Neither was in a rush, and they savoured the various sensations as they slowly got reacquainted with each other’s body.

Sex was every bit as much about emotional release as it was about a physical one. At first, everything was aggressive, with the two women frantically trying to satiate the intense hunger and longing they felt for each other.  After that first shared climax, they continued to move against each other slowly, languidly exploring each other with tremendous affection and raw emotion.  As they made love to each other, Lena and Kara cried as much as they orgasmed, and by the end of it, Lena felt completely spent, in every meaning of the word.

Kara was holding her tightly, Lena flush against the Kryptonian’s body.  Their heads rested on a couple of pillows from Lena’s couch, and Kara’s cape was draped haphazardly over their naked forms.  Lena felt like a mess—her mascara and eyeliner staining her cheeks and her hair completely out of sorts, but it was so worth it.  She flipped over to face the love of her life and kissed her softly.  “I missed you,” Lena breathed.  Kara’s eyes turned watery again, but pleasantly so.  She kissed Lena’s forehead.

“I missed you too, baby.”  Lena pulled closer, nuzzling into Kara’s collarbone.  “I’m sorry,” Kara whispered, a phrase she had already uttered multiple times.  “It was miserable, keeping you at a distance.  Questioning my love for you.  It made my heart hurt, but I couldn’t stop myself.  Rao, I can’t imagine what you were going through, and I just went and made it worse.”

“Shhh, darling.  Don’t do that to yourself.”  Lena pressed her lips to Kara’s skin.  “Being shut out from your life was hell, and I let myself wallow in all of my worst insecurities and self-loathing.  But in a way, it was good.  I bonded with your sister.”  Lena paused, her heart full of warmth at the recollection of how genuinely sisterly Alex had been.

“Aleeex?  What happened?  What did she do?”  Kara propped herself up on her elbow, giving Lena an eyeful before reaching out to run her fingers through Lena’s now thoroughly messy ponytail.

“I had dinner with her and Maggie, and we talked.  She was more affectionate and comforting than I’d ever seen her.  Gertrude too—she actually cuddled up against my leg!”  Kara smiled brightly, even as a shadow of guilt passed over her face at the thought of having missed that.  Lena felt another pang of sorrow at the time they spent apart but continued with the story.  “I told them everything.  Confessed all my darkest thoughts about myself.  It was … god, Kara it was so hard.  But Maggie assured me that I wasn’t a monster.  A-and Alex told me while I made questionable choice, it didn’t make me a bad person.”  Lena grinned.  “She told me she’d kill me if I ever told you this, so you have to keep this between us.”

Kara nodded enthusiastically, but that guilty look still lingered in her eyes.  Lena continued, leaning in conspiratorially with a swaggering smirk on her lips.  “She said I was the best thing that ever happened to you.”

“ ** _Really?_** ”  Kara’s grin had turned into a full-blown, open-mouthed smile.  “Alex Danvers really said that to you?”

“She really did,” Lena confirmed amusedly. 

“Leeeeeena, this is a **_big deal_**!”  The hero practically vibrated with excitement, but then she remembered the context and sobered up.  “I’m just sorry it took me being horrible to you for that to happen.”

“Kara, no.  You didn’t hurt me anymore than I hurt you, and I get now what you were trying to work through.  I wish you had just talked to me about it, yelled at me if you had to, but—”  She took a long, pointed look down at her nude form and then at Kara’s, raising an eyebrow when her gaze came to a rest on Kara’s face.  “—I think we’re getting past it nicely now.”

Kara giggled uncontrollably, a bright blush rising to her cheeks.  “That was quite an experience, Ms. Luthor.”

“Oh was it now?” Lena mused.  “Personally, I think it was just what we needed, **_Ms. Danvers_**.”  She leaned forward and kissed Kara again, savouring the taste of her lips and the faint, lingering scents of their afternoon activities.  As she pulled back, Lena ran a hand along the back of Kara’s head, and the soft fluff set Lena off.  “Your hair!”  Kara’s eyes went wide and questioning, her expression adorably self-conscious.  “I **_love_** it, darling!”  She ran both hands through the short sides of Kara’s hair and then up into the messy length on the top of her head.  As she scratched and massaged Kara’s scalp, enjoying the silky feel of her now much shorter hair, Kara practically purred at the sensation.  “You look amazing.”

Kara flashed a cocky grin.  “Well, it was your idea, now wasn’t it?”

“Well, I **_am_** a very smart woman.”

“Yes, you are,” Kara smiled, leaning in for another kiss.  And finally, Lena felt herself let go of the burden she had been carrying for so long.  Finally, she was home again.  Then Kara surprised her yet again.  “We need to talk to Sam about all this, don’t we?”

“That’s a brilliant idea, darling.”  The thought of the three of them together again had Lena emotional again.  The interview together that morning had been a step forward, but it was nothing like this.  Sam would be so happy that they had figured their shit out.  Lena could already picture the bright smile on her face, followed by a jokingly exasperated ‘it’s about time.’  Lena couldn’t stop grinning like an idiot.  “Let’s surprise her with dinner.  You text her not to cook dinner for her and Ruby, and I’ll arrange everything else.”

“She’s going to freak out,” Kara beamed.

“I know,” Lena answered, grinning wickedly at her partner.  “So let’s really do it big.”


	58. The Future and the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara's thinking about her sister, but she has to deal with an unexpected ghost from her past first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a little over a month since the last chapter.

Alex looked up from her paperwork at the unexpected knock at her office door.  Greeting her was the familiar smile of her overly peppy sister, still in her Supergirl attire and carrying several bags of takeout food.  “Hey there, workaholic!”

“National City’s most famous hero is doing deliveries now?” Alex asked dryly.

Kara giggled.  “Only for her favourite people on Earth.”

“Mmhmm,” Alex hummed, standing up to take the offered bag of food.  “So… what do you want?”

Blushing, Kara stuttered, “Aleeeex!  C-can’t I just bring my awesome, married sister lunch out of the goodness of my heart?  Despite her innocent tone, Alex’s eyes narrowed.  Kara hadn’t meant to slip ‘married’ in there, and she knew Alex would focus in on the odd adjective choice.  So Kara looked away and went about opening various containers and digging into her own lunch.

Alex followed her lead, forcing Kara to wait nervously for her to say something.  But then the agent just grinned, leaning back in her chair with her wrap in hand as she soothed, “Kara, just talk to me.  What’s on your mind?”  Alex’s soft smile and affectionate tone put Kara at ease. 

“Okay, but you have to promise not to freak out.”  Alex’s smile immediately shifted into a slight grimace, her eyes narrowing.  “It’s nothing bad!” Kara rushed to assure her.  “It’s really, **_really_** good, I think.”  Alex just watched her with an overly pointed look of curiosity, and Kara immediately spilled the beans.  “I want to propose to Lena and Sam,” she squeaked in one quick stream of words.

The look of shock on Alex’s face was not quite what Kara had expected, but Alex cut her off before she could launch into a flustered, rambling explanation.  “Okay, Kara, I’m not raining on your parade, not at all, you understand?”  Kara nodded, trying to hold back the small flush of anxiety that was now mingling with her previous nervousness.

Alex took her hand.  “I love you, and I am so so so happy that you’ve found your people.  Whatever else, Lena and Sam and Ruby are family now, and I want to be sure you know that I get that.”  The sentiment banished Kara’s anxiety, and she smiled back at her sister.

“So, what’s the issue then?”

Alex squeezed her hand, then released as she leaned back a little.  “I guess I’m just surprised.  It feels fast, especially with Sam, and all three of you have been through so much the last year.  I just wanna be sure you’re not jumping into something you’re not ready for.”  Alex winced.  “Not that I’m saying you’re not!”  She groaned.  “How about I stop right now, and you tell me more about what you’re feeling.”  Alex emphasized her point by taking a very large bite of her wrap, mouth so comically full that she couldn’t possibly say another word.

Kara rolled her eyes at her sister’s antics.  “I’m not rushing into it, Alex.  It’s been on my mind ever since our last trip to Midvale.  I mean … I wasn’t planning anything, but you just kinda have this realization, you know?  That this is my family, and that whatever happens, these are the people I want to build my life with.”

She took a thoughtful bite of her second sandwich, taking the time to chew and swallow before continuing.  “You and Eliza gave me a new home when I lost mine.  You supported me and guided me and taught me so much.  You both are a fundamental part of who I am as a person.  I think some part of me realized Lena was someone like that from the first time I met her, even if it took me a long time to catch onto that.  And Sam … it was like she just fit, instantly, with what Lena and I were already building together.”  Kara inhaled softly, then released the breath with a smile.  “I remember thinking I would never feel at home on Earth.  And even though I felt at home with you, that feeling lingered.  It’s gone now.  Because of Lena and Sam and Ruby.” 

“So what’s different?  You had time to really think about what you want your future to look like, now that you’ve had a month of peace since you and Lena buried the hatchet?”

Kara blurted out, “No,” without thinking, but she stopped herself and considered.  “Well, yeah,” she corrected, “but not entirely.”  It was more complicated than that, but Kara wasn’t sure how to put her thoughts into words.  “So yeahhh, a month of happiness and comfortable domesticity has helped, for sure.  But … I think it was something about my identity becoming public.”

Alex almost choked on a bite of food, coughing for a few seconds before waving for Kara to continue.  “Sorry, that surprised me a little.  Go on.”

“It’s … Alex, I had no idea how freeing it would be, to just be able to be myself.  All the time.  No more secret identities.  No more hiding parts of myself while playing up others.  I don’t think I realized how much that took out of me until I didn’t have to do it anymore.”  Though she had already figured this out for herself, sharing it with Alex filled Kara with joy.  “And it gave me clarity on some things.  There’s something powerful about being open with who you are.  A-and who you love.  Nothing has changed about how I feel about Lena and Sam, but I want them to know.  I want everyone to know.  That I love them.  That they are a part of me.  That they are every bit as much my family as you or Eliza or Kal or my parents.”  She looked down at her hands, playing with her food.  “And yeah, after everything we’ve been through, I want to celebrate that love.”

Alex had the most brilliant, beautiful smile Kara had ever seen, and it was in full effect now.  She pushed herself out of her chair, and it was only because of superspeed that Kara was standing quickly enough to receive Alex’s enthusiastic embrace.  “I am so happy for you,” Alex gushed, choking up only a little.  “I’m so proud of you and who you’ve become.”  She pulled away, lingering long enough to kiss Kara gently on the forehead before heading back to her seat behind her desk.  “Now, let’s talk game plan.  That’s why you came, right?”

Kara answered with a hearty laugh.  “You see right through me.”

“It’s a big sister thing,” Alex quipped, and Kara believed her.  “Well, out with it!”

“Alex, I don’t knowwwww!” Kara blurted.  “That’s why I need my big sister.  There’s nothing on Krypton or Earth that could prepare me for proposing to two amazing women at the same time.  I have no idea where to start!”

“Damn, you’ve got a hell of a point there.  You’re gonna propose to both of them at the same time?  How’s that going to work?  Are they going to—”  Alex shook her head and waved her hands in the air, as if to dispel that train of thought, if only momentarily.  “Nevermind, we’ll get there.  Let’s start with your culture.  What does a Kryptonian proposal look like?”

Kara snorted.  “Like a corporate merger.  Not exactly the most romantic thing.”

“Oh right, I forgot.  Great houses.  Royal bloodlines. Blah blah blah.”

“Hey!” Kara defended.  “That was just the formal stuff.  Don’t forget we had much healthier ideas of romance, sexuality, and family than most humans do.  It just … wasn’t particularly connected with marriage.”

“And American traditions aren’t exactly tailored with queer women in mind, much less polyamory.”  Alex made a face.  “But that’s okay.  We’ll figure it out.  Just think of it as a reason to get creative.”

“Alex, I’m the last of my people.  At least here on Earth.” Alex looked confused, so Kara elaborated.  “Kal was born on Krypton, but he was raised human.  He can’t even speak the language very well.  A-and I have to assume the remaining Kryptonian prisoners from Fort Rozz left the planet.”an’

“We haven’t heard a lick from them since Myriad, so that’s a safe bet,” Alex confirmed.  “But what does being the last child of Krypton have to do with how you choose to get married?”

“My people live on through me,” Kara explained.  “It’s an important burden and right that only I can carry.  I want my life, my family to reflect that in some way.”  Kara shrugged before finishing off the remains of her lunch.  “Anyway, it’s something I’ll discuss with my mother’s hologram.  But I want to know what **_you_** think.  I know Maggie was the one who proposed, but I know you were thinking about it too.”  Kara’s mind had already raced through several dozen ideas.  Should she get them rings?  Would it be better to ask them separately or together?  Big romantic gesture or something simple?  In private or public?  Should she talk to Ruby first?  Roses?  Dinner?  An impromptu fight to Paris or Greece?  Kara felt lost in a sea of possibilities, and she desperately needed Alex to ground her a little.  “Come on, gimme some of your amazing romantic Alex ideas!”

Alex giggled, Kara’s enthusiasm revealing that mushy side that Alex kept carefully hidden away from all but a few.  “I mean … I had a **_few_** ideas—” 

The mood was broken by a loud boom, and tremors shook the room around them.  Kara tried to scan the building, and she was once again frustrated by the DEO’s decision to line all the walls with lead.  “Alex, I can’t see what’s going on.  I’m gonna check it out.”  She heard Alex’s usual demand that she be careful as she darted off towards the sounds of shouting and gunfire in the main lobby of the DEO.  She was moving so fast that she only barely caught sight of thick black hair, trailing behind a dark woman flying past her at the same speed as Kara.  _What the heck?_

Kara froze.  A human wouldn’t have registered that she did so, but for Kara it was long enough to stop and analyze the situation.  Someone had broken into the DEO—slammed through a wall, by the sound of it—and she could fly and move nearly as fast as Supergirl.  _Why?  Who is she?  What does she want?  And why was she going that way— **Alex**_!  Kara surged back down the hallway and back into Alex’s office, just as the mysterious woman broke through the exterior wall of the office.  Alex struggled against her vice-like grip, shouting obscenities and working in vicious blows with her knees and boots where she could.

“Alex!” Kara burst through the new hole in the wall and into the open air, hot on the woman’s tail.  Her hair trailed behind her in thick waves of darkness.  She was a little shorter than Alex, with slightly broader shoulders and the build of a fighter or soldier.  Even as she fought with the struggling agent in her arms, the set of her jaw, her posture and movement, and her tactics all indicated a long history of military training.  She wore a simple, dark red leather jacket, with black pants and combat boots—nothing that would reveal her affiliation or motivation.  Unsettlingly, she reminded Kara a little of her aunt Astra.  But Kara didn’t recognize the woman.

She pushed a little harder, trying to gain on Alex’s abductor while she activated  her comm.  “Supergirl, what is going on?”

“Vasquez, she’s got Alex!  I’m in pursuit, but she’s just as fast as me.  Maybe Kryptonian, maybe not, but I need backup on my position with the best anti-alien gear we’ve got!”

“We’ll be there,” ey assured her.  “Director J’onzz isn’t here, but I’m scrambling a team now.”  With the DEO alerted, Kara shifted the frequency over to the private line between her and Sam.

“Power Girl, I need you here now.”  There was a couple second pause, then Sam’s worried voice filled her ear.  “Kara, baby, what’s wrong?”

“Someone has Alex!  She’s a flyer, fast and strong.  I need you here right now!”

“On my way, Supergirl.”

~~~~

Lena looked up at the quiet sound of her office door opening, lips breaking into a wide smile at the sight of her girlfriend bearing several containers of food—most of them for her, Lena knew.  Not that she was surprised it was Sam; she was the only person besides Kara who could get past Jess unannounced.  “Alright boss, put down your work.  It’s time for a lunch break.”

Making a face, Lena glanced down at her computer screen.  “Oh.  Darling, I completely forgot it was Tuesday.  Just give me a few seconds to square this last thing away.”  Somewhere along the line, Sam had established a hard and fast rule that they would have lunch together on Tuesdays, just two girlfriends enjoying each other’s company, no work allowed.  It was a very Kara thing to insist on, and Lena loved noticing little details like that, signs of how each of them rubbed off on each other the longer they were all together. 

So Sam set about getting the food laid out on the coffee table, and Lena finished up her work before kicking off her heels and padding over to the couch.  “There now.  How has your morning been?”  She pecked Sam on the lips before sitting down.

“No work talk!” Sam scolded fondly.

“And who said anything about work?  I simply hadn’t seen my girlfriend since yesterday and wondered how your morning was?”

“Mmhmm, and I’m sure the question was in no way meant to include an inquiry into how Ziah and I are progressing with the budget numbers for your latest clean energy project.”  Sam shook her head as she took a very large bite of her burger. 

“Samantha, you wound me.  I trust that Ms. Dox will have those numbers for me as soon as they are ready.  I simply wanted to know how you slept.”  Lena offered her most sincere pout, and Sam immediately cracked a grin before kissing Lena on the tip of her nose.

“How horrible of me to assume the worst of you, Ms. Luthor.”  They both chuckled, then Sam finally answered the question.  “I slept well, though not as well as I would have snuggled up to you and Kara.”

“Obviously,” Lena inserted playfully.  “How is Ruby?  Has she had any other issues at school since—”

“No,” Sam assured her.  “You know how bad it was that first week after the Catco article on us.  But Rubes hasn’t gotten into any other fights or been the victim of bullying lately.”

“Not since Kara appeared out of nowhere and told that bully to go to hell?” Lena offered, grinning wickedly. 

“Hah, no. It was more like—” Sam cleared her throat, placing her hands on her hips in a joking impression of Kara’s Supergirl persona.  “Young man, violence isn’t the answer.  You should never judge someone for their family or who they love.  And anyway, if you have a problem with me or my so-called ‘creepy alien lifestyle,’ it still doesn’t give you the right to take it out on Ruby here.  I suggest you think about your actions and make some changes, because if you’ve got a problem with her, you’ve got a problem with me.” 

Lena managed to hold off on her laughter until Sam finished.  “And of course she then turned around and waved goodbye to Ruby, like the precious ray of sunshine she really is inside.”  They both laughed, loving their girlfriend’s antics and protectiveness over Sam’s daughter, who they were all more or less co-parenting at this point. 

“Speaking of over-protective—” Sam coxed, leaning in conspiratorially, “—when are you finally going to tell me what the deal is with Jess?”

“I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Lena demurred smugly.  Sam had been poking and prodding about Jess’ background for years, but especially since she had moved to National City.  Lena loved the little game between the two of them, where Sam insisted that Jess was more than just an assistant, and Lena played dumb. 

“Lee, what the fuck?  I’m your girlfriend, your best friend, you’ve practically helped raise my kid her entire life, and we share a girlfriend.  You’re really going to continue keeping this from me?”

“Someone sounds grumpy,” Lena teased, and Sam did her best to imitate Kara’s pout.  “Sorry darling, but neither of us is as good at that as our peppy blonde counterpart.”

“I know,” Sam groaned.  “It’s really unfair.  You’d think one of us would be able to tell her no, but she makes the great and powerful Lena Luthor melt just as easily as she does the dark and mysterious Power Girl.”

“Well, that’s why we keep Alex around.”

“Hey!”  Sam furrowed her brow.  “Don’t change the subject!”

Lena took a sip of the kombucha Sam had brought her.  “Does it really bother you?”

“I mean … no, of course not.”  Her eyes darted around a little.  “Okay fine, yes!  It’s driving me crazy.  I’m like 95% sure she’s some sort of secret ninja or something, and I just need you to tell me.  Don’t you think Kara and I would like to know for sure that you’re safe here at work when we’re not around?” 

“As if there’s more than an hour or so here and there in which one or both of you doesn’t have an ear on me,” Lena retorted.

 “We just love you a lot, okay?”  Sam shoved her playfully.  “Now tell me, Lee.  Don’t make me beg.”  Lena thought about turning that into a double entendre, and the only thing that stopped her was Sam putting up a scolding finger in the air, already anticipating her response.

Lena bit her lip, then grinned.  “Fine, I don’t see any harm in it.  You already know anyway.  You’ve never been wrong about Jess.  Though she isn’t a ninja.” 

“But she has martial arts training?”

“She is a well-trained bodyguard, fighter, tracker, and tactician.  The fact that she is also an excellent assistant was a massive bonus.  I was looking for someone with her skills the minute after I finally decided that I would testify against Lex at his trial.  I knew better than to underestimate my brother, and though she would never speak of it, I’m quite certain Jess has foiled an assassination or blackmail plot against me on no fewer than a dozen occasions.”

“I knew I liked her,” Sam quipped, rubbing Lena’s thigh supportively at the mention of Lex.  She was the only person who really knew how close Lena and Lex were, who had been around him before everything went south.  But Lena had no intention of dwelling on that, not while they were having such a nice lunch.

“Oh before I forget, how close are we to finalizing the Sunderland acquisition?”

“Lena Keiran Luthor, what part of ‘no work during our girlfriend lunch’ is so confusing for you?”  Sam poked her with a french fry, which would’ve been comical if not for her tone.  “Keep it up, and I’ll tell Kara about the gorgeous redhead who flirted with you at the bar last week.”

“Sam, no, please don’t do that.”  Lena added a little teasing plea to her voice, as if genuinely begging.  “We wouldn’t want to endanger the safety of every gorgeous redhead in the city.”

Sam couldn’t help but laugh at that.  “On please, Kara is endearingly possessive over both of us, but she wouldn’t go that far.  At worst, she’d commandeer a news camera and threaten the city’s eligible ladies to stay away from her girlfriends.”

“Which would be a PR nightmare.  Alex and Lucy would kill us.”

“Hey, I’m invulnerable.”  Lena just fixed her with a withering glare.  “Okay fine, Lucy scares me a little when she goes into full director mode.  We’ll keep this dangerous little secret to ourselves for now.”  Sam’s lips twisted into a mischievous grin again, and they both broke up into laughter.  Doing so pushed Sam’s body that much closer to Lena’s, and she couldn’t be entirely sure that wasn’t intentional.  “Hey so… don’t you think it’s weird that after all this time, you and I have never fooled around on this couch?”

Sam slipped a knee between Lena’s thigh’s, gently nudging her into a more horizontal position.  Lena leaned up so that she was in Sam’s bubble of personal space.  “We haven’t, have we?”  She smirked, then took Sam’s bottom lip in her teeth, tugging ever so slightly before she let go with a devilish sparkle in her cool green eyes.  Then she purred, “That’s on you, my dear.  Kara’s certainly made **_very_** good use of this couch on any number of occasions.”

“Fuck, that’s hot.”  Lena blinked, gasping at the sudden feeling of cool air on exposed skin.  Her blouse was completely untucked and undone, and knee-length pencil skirt was hiked up all the way to her hips.  Sam gazed up at her from a perch between Lena’s thighs, pupils dilated and eyebrows waggling seductively.  “No time like the present, right Lee?”

Lena blushed, the electric thrill of this unexpected twist curling through her.  Instantly, she felt desire pooling between her legs.  “Take me,” she hissed, not wanting to waste any time with foreplay. But just as Sam moved her hair back to lower her lips to Lena’s body, she jerked upright, staring out into the distance.  Lena had seen that look enough times from both her girlfriends to know that sexy fun times were going to have to wait.

“Kara, baby, what’s wrong?”  Lena could hear the concern in Sam’s voice, and she pushed up into a fully seated position, hand resting on Sam’s back.  “On my way, Supergirl.”  Sam turned to Lena, fear in her eyes.  “It’s Alex.  I’ve gotta go.”

“Go!” she urged.  “I’ll call Maggie, and we’ll head for the DEO.”  Sam kissed her goodbye, and then she was out of the building before Lena could even registered that she had changed into her suit.

~~~~

Power Girl locked onto Kara the second she took off from Lena’s balcony.  It took her a full ten seconds to spring up far enough from the city skyline that she could safely move at full speed and catch up to them.  As she approached, she could see a small, dark woman with thick, long hair holding tightly onto a viciously struggling Alex, with Kara trailing her by about 20 feet.  Sam moved quickly, adding a burst of speed to pass by them as they began moving out of the city and coming down right into the path of the fleeing kidnapper.

The woman’s eyes went wide, but she was moving too fast to avoid Sam at this point.  Power Girl smirked.  “Hey bitch, that’s a good friend of mine.”  Right before she swung a punch, she added a quick, “Catch!” to Kara.  Her fist caught the woman solidly in the jaw, and she dropped Alex at the shock of it.    Supergirl grabbed her sister as Power Girl continued her assault on the mystery woman.  She was ready this time, and she got in a few powerful blows before Sam wrangled her and drove her swiftly downward, slamming her into the ground.

“Supergirl, she’s strong!”  The punches had winded her a little, though she was swiftly recovering.  She turned back to the woman she was holding to the ground by the throat, herself more than a little winded and bruised by Sam’s attack.  “Who are you?” she demanded in the deeper, threatening tone Power Girl reserved for her enemies.  “And what do you want with Agent Danvers?”

“Release me, **_creature_** , and I will tell you,” she growled.  Sam looked over at Kara and Alex, unsure of how to proceed.  The woman used her moment of hesitation to shove Power Girl away, kicking off of her and floating to her feet.  Unfortunately for her, Kara moved at the same time, catching the woman off guard with a knee to the gut that doubled her over.

“She asked you a question,” Kara insisted, but the woman disregarded her.  She shrugged off the pain and blurred towards Alex again.  Power Girl beat her there, and now the woman was getting angry.  Her eyes went white hot, which pretty much confirmed Sam’s growing suspicion that she was Kryptonian.

Sam lit up her own eyes, feeling the heat of the bright red glow as she warned, “Don’t test me.  You can’t defeat both of us, so you may as well explain what you’re doing here.”

“I am Zora Vi-Lar, and I am here to seek justice from that murderer,” she spat.  “If you have any honour, creature, you will move out of my way.”

“Calling me ‘creature’ isn’t exactly winning me over here, kiddo.”  Power Girl narrowed her eyes, which continued to brighten as she focused her heat vision and prepared to fire it.  “Now stand down, before I put you down.” 

Unfortunately, Zora decided she was going to test Power Girl’s patience.  She jerked her head and took a side step at superspeed before firing her heat vision straight at Alex, forcing Sam to jump into the path of the energy rather than retaliate.  Supergirl tackled her again, as Sam laid on the ground, her gut searing where the heat vision had hit her.

“You okay?” Alex asked, kneeling beside her.  Sam flipped to her feet faster than Alex’s eyes could track, checking to see that her body had already healed. 

“Fine and dandy, Agent Danvers.  You wanna tell me why a pissed of Kryptonian wants you dead.”

“Not a clue,” Alex answered, training both her guns on the blurry, flitting mess that was the battle between Kara and this Zora Vi-Lar.  “Let’s take her down first, ask questions later.”

“Agreed.”  Power Girl entered the fray again just as a swift kick to the face sent Supergirl flying.  Red heat vision tore a hole in the Kryptonian’s shoulder, disabling her arm long enough for Sam to charge forward and pin her again to the ground.  She utilized her training from Alex to keep her leverage, her weight holding Zora down as she rained superfast blows along her head and torso.  When she relented, the woman was beaten and bloodied.  Sam fought back flashes, fragmented memories of Kara in a similar state, crawling weakly at her face.  _Not now!_  

The haunting thought distracted her just enough that she didn’t notice the sounds of incoming flyers, and she was caught off guard when someone new slammed into her, grabbing onto her and throwing her hard.  Unfortunately for them, there was nothing around them for Sam to collide with, just dirt and a bit of scrubby foliage.  She caught herself still in flight, everything slowing to a stop around her as she analyzed the battlefield in the blink of an eye. 

Two more Kryptonians had joined the fight, both dressed dark pants and simple black t-shirts.  It was weird, seeing two dudes in basic, nondescript casual wear just drop out of the air and join a battle of literal titans.  One had engaged Kara, and the other was preparing to attack Sam again.  Meanwhile, Zora was back on her feet, but clearly struggling with her wounds.  She was gathering her strength to grab Alex again.  Sam made a snap decision.

She moved at full speed, clothes-lining her attacker hard enough to collapse his throat.  Hopefully, she hadn’t killed him, and the yellow sun would allow him to live after a few minutes of agonizing pain.  Again, she intercepted Zora before she could get to Alex, flying far and fast away from the battle.  Behind her, Kara continued to struggle with her foe, evenly matched with the oddly dressed warrior.

“Why are you doing this?” Power Girl demanded, holding Zora tight as she struggled to free herself.  The soldier fought her with skill and efficiency, but it was clear that she had realized by now that Sam was more powerful than her.

“I do not owe you an explanation!” she shrieked.  “Tor!  Take the murderer!”  Sam realized a few moments too late that Zora was no longer shouting at her.  She released her, turning to fly back to protect Alex.  But she had already flown them several miles away, and Zora dragged her back, a firm grasp on her cape.  It wasn’t enough to enough to stop her, but it was damn sure enough to slow her down.

“I’ve known you for all of five minutes, and I’m already tired of your bullshit,” Power Girl snapped, flipping around to free herself of Zora’s hold before grabbing both her arms in a vice grip behind her back.  The warrior continued to struggle, but Sam focused all her strength and energy to propel them forcefully back to the fight.  They had been gone a couple of minutes at most, and yet still, she was too late.

Kara continued to fight with the Kryptonian who had attacked her, shrieking Alex’s name as her blows grew more savage and angry.  Alex, however, was nowhere to be seen, and as good as Sam’s eyes were, she only barely make out a dot in the distance over the horizon, flying away.  “I’ll get her,” she screamed out to Kara, but again, Zora just barely managed to delay her with a swift kick to the back of her head.  It was disorienting, and it took the last of the dark woman’s strength.  But it was enough to throw Sam off.  She lost sight of the fleeing Kryptonian and his human prisoner, and at this point, she couldn’t even be sure which direction they went.

Power Girl could hear the DEO vehicles approaching as she roared out in anger and frustration.  Her eyes burned as she turned back to Zora, but she remembered Alex’s training.  They would need this woman if they were to find Alex.  She took a steadying breath before lifting Zora Vi-Lar off the ground.  “You won’t get away with this,” she hissed, then flipped the woman’s weak, powerless body around, wrapping her arms around her neck and throat just so.  She applied pressure in a move that Alex had taught her, cutting off circulation and air with deliberate precision.  Zora slumped into unconsciousness in her arms, and Sam dropped her to help Kara.

But Kara had already beaten the man unconscious, and Sam had to pull her off of his still body as the Humvees came to a halt around them.  “Supergirl, stop!”  Sam tried to wrap her into a hug, but Supergirl was lost to her anger and fear.

“They took her!” Kara shouted, fighting against Sam’s arms. 

“ _I know, sweetie,_ ” Sam whispered in a soothing voice, tentatively utilizing the Kryptonian language Kara had been teaching her.  “ _Do not fear.  We will get her back._ ”  The language was a good choice, and Kara began to calm down.  The watery cerulean eyes that finally met Sam’s were familiar, having traded wild anger for palpable fear.  

Vasquez seemed to know better than to disturb them, simply whispering the question, “Kryptonians?” from a distance.  Power Girl nodded, and the agents began dragging out red sun containment units for the two unconscious combatants.  Sam kept her focus on Kara.

“You have to be strong.  We have their leader, and Lena and Maggie are meeting us at the DEO.  If they wanted to kill Alex right away, they wouldn’t have bothered to escape with her, okay?”  Kara nodded, hope and reason beginning to seep back into her expression.  “We’ll get her back.  I promise.”

Again, Kara nodded, and now that Supergirl fire was back in her posture.  Internally, Sam sighed in relief.  They would need Kara’s head in the game for this, since she was the only real Kryptonian left to try and communicate with these people.  But there was no doubt in her mind that the blonde hero she loved would save her sister.

That’s what family did for each other.


	59. The Prisoner

Power Girl escorted the agents and their prisoners back to the DEO, in case there were any other unaccounted for Kryptonians.  Kara, meanwhile, flew ahead to meet Maggie and Lena and get the DEO working on the search for Alex.  As they arrived, she could see Kara huddled up with Lena and Maggie, with the diminutive detective gesticulating as she hissed in frustrated, hushed tones.  Kara broke away from the conversation the second she and Sam locked eyes, stalking towards the agents escorting the prisoners in sealed red sun chambers.  “Wake her up!  Right now!” she bellowed, one hand pointing emphatically at the chamber containing Zora Vi-Lar as the other balled into a tight fist.  A couple of the agents visibly shrank, and behind her, Lena shouted her name.  Vasquez, however, stepped right into her path.

“Stand down, Supergirl.”  Eir voice was compassionate but firm.  Sam moved forward, at full speed, and placed a hand on Kara’s shoulder, hoping to de-escalate the situation.

“Kara, let them do their jobs.  They’ve gotta get the cells set up, and we need to talk first anyway.”  As she spoke, Lena caught up to the runaway blonde, slipping a hand under her cap and along her back.  Even so, Kara remained tense.

“They took Alex!”  All Sam wanted was to wrap Kara up in a tight embrace, soothe away the raw emotions she could hear in her girlfriend’s voice.  But this was the DEO, and Sam couldn’t risk any action that might suggest the true relationship between the two heroes.  Besides, the focus had to be on Alex right now.

“The quicker they get these assholes in their cells, the sooner we can start the interrogation.  I know this is difficult, but don’t take your emotions out on Vasquez or the others.”  Kara blinked back tears and swallowed, then her entire body language shifted.  Gone was the brash, worried sister, replaced by a steely superhero.  She nodded and allowed Lena to lead her back to where Maggie was waiting.  Power Girl nodded for Vasquez to carry on, then followed a few paces behind her girlfriends.

“You didn’t answer my question, Kara.  Where did these Kryptonians come from?”  Maggie seemed in control now, but her use of Kara’s name instead of her usual moniker was telling.  But the question was valid.  Sam had been under the impression that Kara and Kal were the last.

They all turned to Kara, who blew out a frustrated breath.  “Fort Rozz.”

“The alien prison you tossed into space?” Maggie asked incredulously.  Sam and Lena exchanged a look.  Kara had mentioned it before, but neither of them had been in National City at the time.  They only had bits and pieces of what happened between Kara and her aunt and uncle.  As her eyes drifted back to Kara, she noticed the non-descript silver briefcase in Lena’s other hand

“Yeah.  It’s a long story, Maggie.”

“Then give me the short version,” she demanded.  Lena looked like she wanted to intervene, but Kara waived her off.

“Short version: there were a bunch of Kryptonian soldiers contained in Fort Rozz and under the command of my aunt.  We defeated her and her husband, but there were still several Kryptonians left on Earth when I got rid of the prison to stop Myriad.  The DEO confirmed that the remaining soldiers obtained a ship and left—with Myriad stopped and their commanders dead, there was nothing here for them, I guess.  But we never knew exactly how many of them there were.  Looks like at least three stayed behind.”

“But why did they want Alex?  This doesn’t make sense!” Lena moved to comfort Maggie, but the question sparked a memory for Sam.

“She kept calling Alex a murderer.  She seemed really pissed.”  Kara’s eyes went wide in recognition, and she immediately spun away towards the cell block.

“I have to see her **_now_**!”  Kara shouted, drawing Lucy’s attention away from the communication she was having with some of the agents from the retrieval team.

“Kara, the prisoners have been transferred to the red lamp cells, but if you think I’m gonna let you charge in there half-cocked and angry, then you don’t know me very well.”

“I’ve got it, Lane,” Maggie assured her as the rest of them caught up.  “Li’l  Danvers isn’t an interrogator, but she’s Kryptonian.  We need her in there, and I can make sure nothing gets out of hand.

Lucy gave her a long, discerning look, then rolled her eyes.  “Power Girl, go with them.  Make sure emotions don’t get out of hand.  We need this to go right.  The prisoners are our only link to Agent Danvers’ whereabouts.”  She nodded at Lena.  “We’ll watch from the monitor outside the cell.”

Oddly, it was Lena who protested.  “She shouldn’t have to go in there.”  There was too much concern in her voice—as if she cared about Power Girl, more than she ought.  Sam didn’t know why Lena was concerned, but now was not the time to let emotions risk her identity.  It was beyond strange for Lena to mess up like that, and Sam rushed to cut her off.

“I’m going with Supergirl and Detective Sawyer.  It’ll be no problem, Director Lane.”   Lucy nodded, and both of them shot Lena a befuddled glance.   Then they both followed an already moving Supergirl down the hallway with the Maggie and Lena right behind them. 

Sam could see Kara’s impatience written all over her, and it gave her pause when Maggie stopped her in front of the door to the cell.  “Kara, I know you’re angry, and you’re scared for Alex.  I am, too.  But we’ve gotta be a team here.  You know what happens when we’re not.”

Kara swallowed hard, and Sam knew the story of Alex’s previous abduction, the emotional toll it took on Kara and Maggie.  The look the two shared spoke to the shared trauma and understanding.  It was amazing how much things had changed in a little over a year.  Where they had previously been at odds, the new girlfriend butting heads with the overly protective sister, now they were family—sisters themselves.  The two most important people in Alex’s life.  Sam knew they would get Alex back, because there was no universe in which these two would let anything happen her.

After a reassuring kiss from Lena, Kara disappeared into her Supergirl persona and stepped into the room housing the reinforced glass cell.  The door slid firmly shut behind Maggie and Power Girl once they joined her, and Sam suddenly realized what had Lena so worried.  The prisoner was being held in the same cell that had held Reign months ago.  _No, that’s_ _not right.  Thi_ s _can’t be … that was in the desert base_.  Still, the cells were identical, and Sam worked hard to stifle the feeling of revulsion that threatened to overtake her.  She was glad for her cowl—in the moment, it felt like a protective shield to hide behind, like she could sink into her superhero persona and pretend she wasn’t the same terrified, broken woman who had woken up in that other cell. 

Several seconds passed before Sam refocused back on the people in the room rather than the room itself.  Kara’s eyes caught hers, and for the first time since Alex was taken, her attention was firmly focused on something other than her sister.  She knew exactly what was happening behind Sam’s mask.  But now wasn’t the time.  Alex needed them, and Sam couldn’t distract from that. She shook her head as subtly as she could, then stepped forward to cast a critical eye over the prisoner.  Supergirl followed suit, and Sam could instantly feel the intensity of her glare resting solely on Kara.

“ _Traitor_ ,” spat Zora Vi-Lar, and Sam was glad she had really dug in on her Kryptonian lessons.  The woman stood tall, with her arms clasped behind her back.  Her posture left little doubt that she was sure of her moral righteousness, but Kara didn’t back down from the accusation, pacing around the curved wall.  Her face had shifted to a harsh glare to match that of the prisoner, the glowing red light of the inner cell’s sunlamps casting harsh shadows across her face.

“Does she speak English?” Maggie asked snidely, and her tone nearly caught Sam off guard.  She knew it must be an interrogation tactic, but it was still a marvel that she had that sort of control over her emotions with her wife’s fate in the balance. 

Zora’s eyes did not leave Kara.  “ _I have nothing to say to the human or your pet monster, Kara Zor-El.  I will not bother utilizing their primitive language_.” 

Sam was already very tired of the woman’s insults, but she remained calm.  “Miss Priss thinks she’s too good to lower herself to our level.  Don’t worry detective; I’ll translate as necessary.”

Zora scowled.  “ _You taught it **our** language?  You have truly forsaken all honour.  Do you care nothing for the great history of the Houses of El and Ze_?”

“ _She is **no** monster_ ,” Kara growled back, matching the warrior’s Kryptonian tongue.  “ _And you know nothing of honour.  Who are you, and what do you want with my sister_?”

“ _Don’t you remember me, **Little One**?_ ” Zora’s tone twisted sarcastically, and Kara’s shocked expression told Sam that the nickname held deep meaning for her.  Kara stepped right up to the glass, sapphire eyes glinting with newly sparked outrage. 

“Who **are** you?  How did you know my aunt?” she demanded.  Zora bristled at that before Sam could try to translate for Maggie.

“Astra In-Ze was the love of my life, you miserable little girl!  I was her partner, her second-in-command.  I honoured and loved her until the day she was murdered by the worthless savage you chose over your own **family**!”  Her soldier’s posture broke as her voice became increasingly harsh and aggressive, and the final word was punctuated with a sharp pound of her fist against the wall.  Sam was sure the blow was enough to bruise the woman’s hand, if not break a bone or two.  But after the outburst she instantly resumed her controlled stance, her arms clasping behind her again as if she were completely unaffected by the pain.

Kara was blindsided by that, and Sam leaned over to whisper to Maggie, “She and Kara’s aunt were lovers.  She wants revenge because Alex killed Astra.”  Maggie immediately stepped forward.

“That was war!  She didn’t have a choice!”

Zora glared at Maggie, then turned back to Kara without a word to the detective.  “ _Do you share the human’s viewpoint, Kara Zor-El?  Did Astra die a warrior’s death_?”

“ _Yes_!” Kara insisted.  “ _I was there!  Alex is a soldier.  Astra respected her_!”

 _“I don’t know if you are lying or deluded, little one.  But there is nothing honourable or respectful about stabbing an enemy in the back.  Astra deserved better!_   _That bitch is a murderer, and she will pay_.”

Power Girl stepped in.  “ _If you and Astra were so close, then where were you that night?  How do you know what really happened_?”

Zora rounded on her with the fury of a storm.  “ _I was her most trusted soldier!  I was the **only** one she trusted, and because of that I **was not** there when that fucking idiot Non went behind her back with the Black Mercy_.”  She turned back to Kara and pounded on the glass with both fists.  “ _I should have been there!  I could have protected her!_ ”

 **“** She had a different mission, and she blames Kara’s uncle for getting them into the fight where Astra died.  Maybe blames herself for not being there to protect Astra.”  Sam whispered to Maggie.  Zora shot her a death glare, her military polish completely gone at this point.  Kara, however, was still processing the information.  Maggie made as if to engage with Zora again, but Sam put a hand on her elbow, shaking her head.  They needed to let Kara handle this, now that they knew it was a family matter of sorts.

Finally, Kara stepped back towards the glass.  Her body language had noticeably softened.  “ _Zora, she wouldn’t want this_.”

That was the wrong thing to say.  Zora screamed as she slammed a fist against the wall, and this time there was no doubt.  Sam could hear the shattering of bones to match the blood that now darkened her hand.  “ _Do **not** presume to know what Astra would want, you treacherous child!  She wanted **nothing** but to save this precious rock that you call home, and you would treat her **murderer** like family!  She loved you, and you betrayed her_!”

“Where is my sister!?” Kara screamed right back, this time in English.  Sam moved as fast as she could, only barely fast enough to catch Kara’s fist before it struck the glass.  The glass was insulated such that the red sun lamps only affected the inside of the cell.  They exchanged a meaningful look before Sam released Kara’s hand, and they faced Zora together. 

“She asked you a question,” Maggie barked, earning another scowl from the Kryptonian.

“ _Tor has the murderer, and trust me, you will not find them.  He was there.  He saw her stab my Astra in the back with that nightmare blade.  He and Mur were the only ones who remained loyal to Astra after Non went off the deep end.  They are just as committed to avenging her death as I.  He will find a way to free us.  Your **sister’s** life is forfeit._ ”  She spat the word ‘sister’ with enough venom that Sam nearly flinched away from her.

“Supergirl, we need a word.”  Lucy’s voice cut through the tension, and her tone left no room for argument or insubordination.  Not that anyone in the room were technically DEO employees.  Even so, Maggie, Kara, and Sam complied, leaving the room with only a few glares back at Zora.

~~~~

“Lena, what **_is_** this?”  Lena had to move swiftly to catch Kara’s hand as she reached for one of the vials of faintly glowing golden liquid.

“Don’t touch it!” Lena hissed, her voice tight with fear.  The vials were made of the same shatterproof glass that the DEO used for its cells—or rather, a much more reliable L-Corp version—but Lena wasn’t taking any risks.  Kara withdrew her hand as if bitten by a snake, and Lena slammed the briefcase shut again.  “It’s a highly concentrated, brand new variety of kryptonite.”

Immediately, Lucy and Maggie glanced between Kara and Lena, as if expecting the revelation to cause tension between them.  Lena found herself biting back a harsh comment, but Kara responded first.  “Guys, calm down.  I knew.”

“I would never experiment on kryptonite without Kara’s—and frankly, Sam’s—consent.  But I knew there was a chance of other Kryptonians being out there, or god forbid another Worldkiller, and we need to be prepared.  Not to mention, if I could find a way of curing Kara and Sam’s weakness to the substance, I’d sleep a lot better at night.”

Lena smiled softly as her girlfriends each put an arm around her soothingly.  “Okay, so what does this gold K do?” Maggie asked impatiently.  “Will it get this bitch talking?”

“Perhaps,” Lena answered tentatively.  “The fact of the matter is, I believe I’ve succeeded in creating something that will completely eradicate a Kryptonian’s susceptibility to all forms of Kryptonite.  The only problem is that it does so by rendering Kryptonian cells incapable of processing solar radiation any longer.”

“You’re saying it’ll make them human?” Lucy gasped.  “Take away all of their powers?”

“Effectively, yes.  Or … I believe so.  Obviously, I haven’t been able to test on anything other than a few hair, skin, and blood samples.  And I cannot be sure the effects would be permanent.  I’ve learned a lot about Kryptonian genetics and biology over the last couple of years, but I’m still an engineer at heart.  I hadn’t had a chance to consult with Alex or Eliza yet—they’re the xenobiologists, not me.”

“You think she’ll tell us where Alex is if we threaten to take her powers away?  Because I kind of doubt it.”  Maggie’s tone remained under control, but her tense body language betrayed the stress and fear she was carrying. 

“I’m with Maggie,” Kara agreed.  Unlike her sister-in-law, she wore her emotions on her sleeve.  “Zora is a soldier without an army, a purpose, or a home.  All that drives her now is vengeance.  She lived most of her life without powers; she’ll consider them an easy sacrifice to obtain her goal.”

“Yes, but without her powers, she’ll hopefully become more susceptible to other methods of interrogation.  I don’t understand how J’onn’s powers work, but it’s possible he would be able to read her.  If not, I have little doubt the DEO has ways of making her more susceptible to coercion or persuasion.”  Lena locked eyes with Kara and found nothing but resolve there.  Any worry she had that Kara would be reluctant to employ such methods melted away.  It was certainly a more humane strategy than torturing her with green kryptonite.

“I’m all for that,” Sam said.  “There’s a lot that she’s not telling us.  Even if we find Alex, we have no idea what these guys are capable of.  I mean, Astra died like two and half years ago, right?”

“So why now?” Maggie finished the thought.  “If vengeance is so damn important, why wait so long?  And why wasn’t the DEO aware that there were other Kryptonians still on Earth?”

“We thought they all left,” Lucy snapped a little too quickly.  Tensions were high, but she clearly didn’t like the implication that her people had missed something.  “There’s been no indication of any Kryptonian presence or activity on Earth beyond Kara and Clark, and later Sam.  Wherever they’ve been, they were completely under the radar—”

Lucy’s voice trailed off as Kara disappeared from the room.  In the next instant, so did Sam, and Lena could hear them talking outside as everyone else rushed to follow. 

“Where are you going?”

“Back in there.  We need to know what she knows.”

“Power Girl, it’s fine,” Maggie called out.  “She’s right.  See what else she’ll tell you, then make the threat.  If she doesn’t give up Alex’s location, we’ll go from there.”

Kara turned back, placing a gentle hand on Maggie’s arm.  “You’re not coming with me?” 

“Nah, that bitch refuses to speak English, so I’m not exactly of any use.  Besides, I don’t think my or Sam’s presence is helping anything.  You’ve got this, Kara.”  The exchanged a moment, then Kara turned back towards the door. 

“You’ve got this,” Lena encouraged.  Kara didn’t smile, but Lena could see the tiniest bit of weight lift off her shoulders as she nodded and headed back inside.  The rest of them gathered around the screen to the side of the door’s keypad lock.  Zora Vi-Lar’s rigid posture did not appear to have changed at all, and her glare fixed back on Kara from the moment she entered. 

“ _I have nothing else to say to you_ ,” she growled in . 

“ _Why are you here now_?” Kara demanded, pacing around the cell as if Zora hadn’t said anything.  “ _It’s been over two years.  Where have you been_?”  Lena wouldn’t have thought the soldier could stand any straighter, but she went impossibly stiff at the question, every muscle in her body tensing.  Several tense moments, during which Lena translated the Kryptonian for Lucy and Maggie.  Kara seemed content to wait and see how Zora would respond, without pushing any further.

After more than a minute, Zora answered.  She spoke so quietly that Lena almost missed what she said.  “ _Why do you trust these humans, Little One_?”  Lena translated as she watched Kara’s expression closely, her brow knitted with confusion and exasperation.  She seemed at a loss for words, caught at a loss by the unexpected question.  And then, just as suddenly, she wasn’t. 

“ _I love them.  They provided a home to a refugee who watched her entire world burn.  They are good and brave and caring.  And Alex Danvers is the best of them.  She is the strongest person I have ever known, and she has protected me from the moment I came into her life.  She is my sister.  She is my family.  And you will not take her from me._ ”

Zora’s face twisted into a mocking smirk, responding before Lena could even finish conveying Kara’s answer to the others.  “ _The humans are good, are they?  Let me tell you what I’ve known of these humans.  They are ruthless, amoral, and endless creative in their malice and bigotry.  They fear anyone and anything that appears different and inflict pain upon their own for simply being themselves._ ”

The invective stunned Kara into silence, and Lena wondered how she would process Zora’s perspective.  She wasn’t wrong, after all, and even the sunniest person on the planet knew what it was like to experience bigotry.  She was, after all, a queer polyamorous woman on top of being a literal alien.  But Zora wasn’t finished, nor was she ranting for ranting’s sake.

“ _Where have I been that has delayed my mission of vengeance?  I was a prisoner.  An experiment.  I was tortured with evil green rocks._ ”  Lena couldn’t breathe.  She knew where this was going.“ _I was experimented on.  Made to watch as my comrades suffered the same.  Two of us died.  The humans treated us like monsters, and in doing so, they demonstrated to me what humanity is at its core.  They are the monsters.  A primitive, savage people.  And the Doctor was the worst of them.  She oversaw everything, and though she interacted with us far less than her underlings, the hatred and evil practically radiated off of her.  I could see it in her eyes, hear it in her tone._ ”

“ _Zora, I—_ ”

The soldier cut Kara off, not having quite reached her point yet.  “ _I think of all the humans, this Doctor is the only one I might hate as much as I hate Astra’s murderer.  And then, all of the sudden, she stopped coming.  And the humans seemed at a loss for what to do with us.  We used the ineptitude of the leaderless drones to finally make our escape.  Now, finally, I am free to obtain justice for the woman I loved.  The leader I lost.  And that brings me to your **sister**.  Your Alex Danvers is a cowardly murderer who stabbed Astra in the back.  And I will not stop until I have my revenge._ ”

Lena’s mind shrank back from the revelation, no longer seeing or hearing the people around her.  She knew too well who this Doctor was.  Even in death, Lillian continued to haunt her.  She had taken this poor, heartbroken woman, broken her down completely, and corrupted her into a hate-filled avenging angel.  If anyone could understand, it was Lena.  Two years as Lillian’s object of hate would warp anyone’s view of humanity, especially an alien with few other experiences with humans.

“Lena!”  Maggie’s sharp tone brought Lena back to the moment, and she released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, gasping in air for depleted lungs.  In front of her, Zora was speaking again, and Lena realized she had missed a good chunk of the conversation.  Power Girl was translating in her stead.

“— _does not frighten me, girl.  I do not need these godly powers to achieve my ends.  Your threats mean nothing to me.  Do what you will._ ”  Kara tried a few more times to push Zora, to get any additional information that could help them find Alex, but there was nothing.  The now stoic warrior had gone silent, and finally, Kara gave up and left the room.

“Doesn’t seem like we have a choice,” she sighed, voice full of resignation as the door locked behind her.  Lena only half-heard her, mind still whirring.  She barely noticed as Kara searched her face and rushed to her side as she realized what exactly it was Lena was processing.  “Can we have a moment?” she asked, as she led Lena back to the private room as Maggie and Lucy nodded their heads and wandered off in the opposite direction.

It wasn’t until Lena found herself sitting with two worried superheroes standing over her that she finally spoke again.  “I need to talk to her.”

“I’m sorry, what now?” Sam demanded, concern painted across her soft features.  Lena hadn’t even realized she had pulled her cowl down from her face until she looked up to find her oldest friend questioning her instead of Power Girl.  Meanwhile, Kara knelt down beside Lena and put a hand on her cheek.

“Creampuff, I’m with Sam.  What’s up with you?”  Lena met Kara’s worried gaze, and everything snapped into place for her.  She took Kara’s hand from her cheek and placed a warm kiss on it before standing up.

“I’ll be the one to administer the gold kryptonite, if necessary, but first I want to talk to her.  Just the two of us.”

“Absolutely not,” Kara responded immediately.  “Red sun lamps or no, she’s a trained soldier, and she hates humans.”

“She hates humans because the best example of them she’s seen is my mother,” Lena snapped back, her tone harsher than she intended.  “And I’m the only person who might have a chance at showing her that the humanity you spoke of is more than a naïve girl’s idealistic viewpoint.”

“Are you sure it was her?” Kara practically whispered, and Lena did her best to temper what would otherwise have been a withering look in response.  “Okay, okay.  I know we were all thinking it, but I had to ask.”

“Kara, I think we should trust Lena on this.”  Lena shot Sam an appreciative half-smile before looking back at Kara.

“Darling, we’ll active the red sun lamps in the exterior of the room, and you and Sam can watch.  If anything happens, you know that Sam can be in the room before Zora can take more than two steps towards me.  If there’s any chance at getting through to her, at convincing her to stand down, I’m it.  I speak her language.  The loves of my life are both Kryptonian.  And I know better than anyone what a monster Lillian was.  Please.  Let me try.”  She could see Kara on the precipice of giving in, and Lena through in a confident, cocky point to push her over the edge.  “Besides, I don’t trust anyone else to administer the gold K.  It has to be me.”

Lena knew she had won when Kara blew out a long sigh.  “Fine, but you don’t open the inner cell until it’s time to administer the gold K.  No, you know, in fact, you call for Sam before that.”

“No promises, love.”  Kara took another deep breath, but she didn’t argue further as she followed Lena out of the room at normal human speed. 

“I’m going to go tell Lucy what’s going on; I’ll be back in under a minute.  Sam—”

“Babe, stop worrying.  I’d never let anything happen to our Lena.”  That, more than anything, seemed to soothe Kara, and she disappeared into the air as Lena exchanged a glance with Sam before entering the code that slid the door open again.  Zora was seated against the wall of her cell, facing away from the door, and she didn’t move an inch when Lena stepped into the room. 

“ _I have nothing further to say to_ —”

“ _I’m not Kara_ ,” Lena interrupted in perfect Kryptonian, and Zora was on her feet and facing the door faster than Lena would’ve thought possible under the red sun lamps.  Her gaze was coldly calculating, piercing in a way Lena was unaccustomed to.  Regardless, Lena didn’t react at all—calm and collected was second nature to her.  She felt like Zora needed to see her as a strong individual, an equal, at least at first.

Zora’s eyes betrayed her confusion. “ _No, you are not. I was unaware there was another of our people in her company_.”  She continued analyzing the woman standing in front of her.  “ _Or are you?  You carry yourself like **them**_.”

“ _Because I **am** them.  I am human._”  This time, the barest lilt of her childhood Irish accent slipped into her pronunciation.  Kara said she adored how Kryptonian sounded on Lena’s tongue, but she knew that little nuance marked her as not a native speaker.  Still, she was good enough with the language that she had fooled Zora even for that short moment, and Lena couldn’t tell if the soldier was impressed or outraged.

“ _How is it that you speak our language so fluently, human?”_

“ _Because I wanted to learn my beloved’s native tongue,_ ” Lena answered concisely, allowing just a bit of her genuine emotion into her voice.  “ _She lost her entire world.  It was important to me that I give her back every tiny bit of it that I can manage.”_   She allowed a small grin to play along her lips.  “ _Plus, it really is a beautiful spoken language._ ”

Zora’s brow furrowed, and her reply legitimately surprised Lena.  “ _What is your name, human?_ ”

Lena took a few steps forward, relaxing her posture ever so slightly.  The briefcase with the gold K, however, was still firmly in hand.  “ _My name is Lena._ ”

“ _And you are Kara’s beloved?_ ”

“ _Yes_.”  Lena nearly added ‘one of them,’ but she remembered how Zora treated Sam.  For all her time in captivity, somewhere along the way she had clearly heard about Reign.  Given how she kept referring to Sam as a monster or creature, Lena guessed she had some knowledge of the Worldkillers and the cult that created at least one of them.  Probably wouldn’t be helpful to bring that up at the moment. 

Zora didn’t appear to have anything to add, but Lena felt like she was making progress.  Her guard was still up, but she no longer looked like she wanted to rip Lena’s head off on principle.  Lena decided to push her luck a little, but wasn’t yet ready to bring the conversation back to Alex.  “ _We’re a lot I like, I think_ ,” Lena suggested.

“ _I sincerely doubt that, human_.”  Despite her doubt, Zora allowed herself to lean back against the wall of her cell, which was the most relaxed she had been since she first broke into the DEO and abducted Alex.

“ _If someone killed Kara, I would be just as consumed with vengeance as you appear to be.  To be completely honest, I am terrified to think of what I might do to her killer._ ”  Zora crossed her arms, a shadow passing over her face.“ _Don’t believe me?_ ”

“ _I do not have any reason to believe or disbelieve you._ ”  Lena resisted the urge to roll her eyes.  She wondered if all Kryptonians—who hadn’t spent a good number of formative years pretending to be human—were this dry and formal.  Maybe it was just a military guild thing.  Even so, Lena would not be deterred.  She simply had to get more honest.

“ _If you were under Astra’s command, I’m sure you were aware that Kara was living here on Earth with a dual identity.  Publicly, she was the Kryptonian hero Supergirl, but privately, she pretended to be an ordinary human.  All that changed when the leader of an anti-alien terrorist group revealed her private identity to the world.  That group, and its leader in particular, epitomize every awful thing you believe you know about humanity._ ”  Lena couldn’t be sure, but she thought she saw a self-satisfied look cross Zora’s face.  Lena frowned, but didn’t break her line of reasoning.  “ _The leader of this group has been a thorn in Kara’s side for years.  She has done much to hurt Kara on multiple occasions.  Recently, she tried to kill her._ ”

“ _Do you intend to reach a point sometime soon_?”  Zora was no longer leaning against the wall, and she had taken several steps towards Lena.  Doing so betrayed her interest in the point Lena was seeking to make.

“ _The name of that group was Cadmus.  Its leader’s name was Lillian Luthor.  She became too much of a threat to Kara, and I … I killed her._   _I killed the woman who threatened my beloved.  My family._ ”  Lena paused for emphasis, and she could see the understanding behind Zora’s dark eyes.  Then Lena dropped the bomb.  “ _That woman was the Doctor who oversaw your torment.  She was also my mother._ ”

For the first time, all measure of poise was gone from Zora’s body language.  “ _The Doctor was your mother_?” she gasped.

“ _Yes_ ,” Lena reiterated.  “ _And you were able to escape because we killed her_.”

“ _Thank you_ ,” Zora offered, and she locked eyes with Lena in such unwavering fashion that it was impossible to question the sincerity of her gratitude.  “ _I know that you did not do it for us.  But for you to see one of your own for the monster she was, and your mother no less, demonstrates the quality of your character.  My only regret is that I will not have the opportunity to end her life with my own two hands.  Kara Zor-El may be a traitor to her people, but I cannot deny that she is a lucky woman to have you as her fiercest defender, Lena Luthor_.”

Lena bit back the angry words that threatened to escape her lips, but couldn’t hide her scowl at Zora’s insult.  Zora simply smiled as if she understood.  “ _You really do love her._ ” 

“ _Kara Zor-El Danvers is the best person I have ever known_.” 

“ _Astra always spoke highly of her.  Kara was like a daughter to her.  She should be with me.  She should want vengeance every bit as much as I do.  Astra tolerated her husband, but she was no extremist.  She wanted to help you humans, to protect you from your own ignorance and hubris.  It killed our people, and she did not wish for Kara’s new home to suffer a similar fate._ ”  Zora’s hands balled into fists, and Lena could see her struggle to remain in control of her emotions.  “ _Whatever differences were between Kara and Astra, they could have been bridged.  But that murderer ended any chance of compromise, and left Astra’s soldiers under the command of a mad man.  And your people remain every bit as doomed as the day we arrived on this Rao-forsaken rock._ ”

Lena could have told her about L-Corp’s many advances in green technologies or Kara’s newly found public platform from which to advocate for immediate action on climate change.  But that wasn’t really what drove Zora.  She had been in it for Astra, and she couldn’t see Astra’s killer as anything other than an enemy.  But she was actually listening now.  Maybe Lena had a real chance at changing her mind.

“ _There are a great many humans who are nothing like my mother_ ,” Lena pointed out gently, breaking eye contact with Zora as she walked back towards the door.  She just hoped Kara wouldn’t freak out and interrupt her.  “ _Just as there were no doubt many Kryptonians who were nothing like Non_.”  Lena reached the door and opened the hidden panel beside it.  She typed in the necessary code and the door to Zora’s cell swung open. 

Lena turned back to the prisoner and continued speaking as if nothing had changed.  For her part, Zora did not move.  She simply watched Lena curiously, a slight tilt to the way she held her head up.  Lena hoped that she knew better than to try something.  “ _I am not the only human who is fluent in Kryptonian.  Who loves Kara.  Who works to make this world a more open and welcoming place for alien refugees simply looking for a new home_.  Zora narrowed her eyes again, then stepped free of her cell.  She stood just outside of it, seeming to understand that this was solely Lena’s gesture of goodwill, not the DEO’s.  The red sun lamps outside of the cell continued to burn as brightly as those inside of it. 

“ _Zora Vi-Lar, I understand your desire for vengeance, but Alex Danvers is a good, honourable person_.”  She scoffed, and Lena began to lose what little hope she held for turning this around.  “ _I didn’t know Astra, but I know Kara loved her to the very end.  She mourned her aunt’s loss even as she fought to protect her new home from Non’s psychotic plan.  Kara told me that Astra and Alex respected each other, despite being on opposite sides of a conflict.  My relationship with Alex hasn’t always been easy—we’ve had our fair share of fights—but she has become my family.  I have no reason to doubt Kara when she says Astra respected Alex.  And I have little doubt that if you could let go of your pain, and give Alex a chance, she would earn your respect as well._ ”

Zora maintained a neutral expression, her arms clasped behind her back as she approached Lena.  She imagined this was as non-threatening a posture as Zora could muster.  She halted with about a foot of space between the two of them.  “ _Lena Luthor, you have my respect, if not my trust.  I do not doubt the sincerity of your words, or the love you hold for Kara and her human family.  But I will not be swayed.  Regardless of what she means to you, Alex killed **my** beloved.  I am a shell of the person I once was.  This is all I have now.  And I will not let it go_.” 

She turned away, and Lena could see how tightly she was clenching her arms together.  “ _Do what you must.  I will not help you find her_.”

Lena sighed, but she could tell the conversation was over.  She would indeed do what she had to.  “ _You won’t resist_?” Lena inquired.  Zora answered with silence, releasing her grip and allowing her arms to rest at her sides.  Lena took that as a ‘no,’ and she bent over to set the briefcase on the floor.  She got the strangest sensation, almost like goosebumps on the back of her head but not quite, and she would’ve bet a considerable chunk of her considerable wealth that Sam’s hand was poised on the keypad lock of the room. 

But Zora remained still as Lena pulled out one of the vials and loaded it into the injector.  She placed a soft hand on Zora’s shoulder, and to her credit, the soldier didn’t flinch at all.  “ _Please remove your jacket and face me_.”  Zora complied, but her face was an impassive mask.  The woman Lena had been bonding with was gone.  She didn’t like this at all.  She understood where Zora was coming from, and she wished that Alex had found a non-lethal way to stop Astra from killing J’onn.  But Alex was the agent, not Lena, and it wasn’t her place to question her heat of battle decision-making.  Perhaps Zora deserved her vengeance, but Alex didn’t deserve death.  She was Lena’s family, and this was apparently what it would take to get her home.

Lena moved with expert precision as she found a vein and injected the full vial of glowing golden liquid.  Zora didn’t react at all, but Lena nearly dropped the now empty injector as the door slid open behind her.

“ _Zora, return to your cell_.”  Kara’s eyes tracked the prisoner warily as she picked up her discarded jacket and returned to her cell, the door sealing behind her.  Then she turned to Lena, switching seamlessly back to English.  “We need you outside.  The Kryptonian who escaped with Alex has reached out to the DEO.  He wants to make a trade.”


	60. Note from the author

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not an actual update, so sorry

Hi friends.

This isn't a new chapter.  Sorry about that.  I adore everyone who has been with me through this story (and the one before), so I feel I owe you all an explanation.  And Sam Makes Three is so close to being finished.  I really only have 2 or 3 chapters left.  And I simply can't bring myself to write them.

I feel like I've been burned by Supergirl (the TV show) too many times, and I finally gave up on it after a recent plot twist that I think betrays everything the show originally stood for.  I feel like the writers don't understand any of the characters anymore, and watching the show just makes me feel depressed and upset.  As a result, I just haven't found myself in the right mindset to return to this universe.

It sucks.  And I'm sorry.  I hope to finish this story eventually.  But it feels like it won't be happening anytime soon.  I just thought everyone subscribed deserved a little explanation.  

 


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